Esoteric
by princess-snow510
Summary: Esoteric - private; secret; confidential. [Bennett oc x Naruto Boys]
1. What did I do to deserve this?

****Please Enjoy!****

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 ** _ ** _She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."_**_**

 ** _ ** _\- Third Hokage_**_**

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I didn't think I asked for much, and I always gave whenever I could. I was a modest girl doing for other before even thinking about myself. I just wanted my baby sister to live a relatively normal life…as normal as our kind could live at least.

But no, the world, universe whatever was persistent to give me nothing but shit.

My deadbeat father was murdered, my grandmother dead, and my flight risk mother undead. My love life nonexistent and my baby sister's life was constantly at risk of being ended because of her selfish ass friends.

I used to ask: Why me?

In the words of Damon Salvatore "Because people like you. You're quiet. You say "excuse me." You look like little birds help you get dressed in the morning."

And so; because I had the personality of Snow White in all except for my thoughts and was the powerhouse equivalent of Maleficent…I found myself, in this predicament.

The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of my vision and the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat. My breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed as I lay there, then, I heard voices.

"Carina! Oh god!" That was Matt.

"Stay with us…help is on the way please just be strong…" And that was Caroline.

People swarmed all over me, trying to help me, I realized and would have rolled my eyes if I could.

 ** _Now_** they wanted to help me, **_now_** they wanted to save me.

I could hear Damon, Stefan and Elena…well not Elena because if they hadn't figured it out or learned by now, the girl was completely useless.

If I could have, I would of laughed.

"Rinie you can't you can't leave me, I need you Rinie, need you so please…please don't leave me…I …I can't do this on my own…."

I would have cringed if I could, that was my dear beloved little sister Bonnie. She would be my only regret, I was leaving her behind alone to deal with those undead pieces of shit…

"I'll give her my blood." That was Damon. I frowned before I smirked as I heard Bonnie erupt on him and the others too like a beautiful volcano.

"How dare you even suggest- I'll kill you!"

"But Bonnie-" Ugh that Gilbert trash opened his mouth…

"You touch her…and I swear you **_will_** burst into flames. This is not just anyone…this is **_my_** sister, this is **_Rinie_**! She would never want that… ** _ever_** …" Bonnie raged and I wish I could open my eyes to see it.

"We could save her life if we turn her now, isn't that all that matters? So she won't be a witch but she'll be alive." Stefan.

I heard pain filled sounds come from the male vampires, Bonnie must have used magic.

"Bonnie! Bonnie stop you'll make their heads explode!" Elena's fear filled voice screamed.

Ha, that's my girl! Give'em hell.

Because Damon was a fool for even offering such a thing especially to a witch and Stefan being even a bigger fool for agreeing.

A witch that was turned into a vampire especially by force, nine times out of ten usually was even worse than humans turned vampire because of the loss of our magic, our magic is so deeply ingrained into every fiber of our being that if stripped from us…well we literally **can not** cope or function like 'normal' vampires, we became the worst of the worst, we became what even rippahs were afraid of…prime example Kol Mikaelson. Besides surely, they could tell that it was far too late for me to be saved, yet they were like children, naive to the darkness of the real world.

The despair and suffering of the world that took everyone I loved away from me. I would be joining them soon though Emily, My Grams, Dad.

I would be able to leave all the pain and betrayal my quote un quote friends gave me behind.

I closed my eyes, I could die happily now I did my job, I saved their precious Elena and her precious Salvatore's, saved them from the big bad hybrid hunters the original vampire and themselves, I was a good big sister, I looked after Bonnie like she was my own daughter taught her everything I knew and now I could only hope my death would stripe her of the rose tinted glasses the Gilbert's and Salvatore's had seemingly superglued to her face…my work here was done damnit I wanted to be done, I wanted an eternal vacation. I earned it.

My fragile, human heart beat one last time and I smiled…I could now rest and join my ancestors on the other side…finally ever lasting peace….

Or so I thought.

Instead of going to the other side like I had excepted, I merely floated in place.

Yes, floated twisting and turning yet never moving. If you're wondering why, well join the club because so am I.

This I found incredibly dull, I was surrounded by nothing, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, doing nothing…for I don't even know how long. It could have been seconds, or it could have been years, hell I could have been here for an eternity even.

Honestly…it was enough to draw even the strongest of minds to madness…and I wondered if this is what the Mikaelson siblings felt when they were daggered or even Silas when great great great…(well you get it) Qetsiyah served his sorry ass eternal sleep for being a fuck boy.

Then, finally…finally there was something. It was a strange feeling I can assure you, but if I could describe it I would compare it to how I image a butterfly being caught in a net or even a fisherman capturing large amounts of fish.

I was being pulled into a direction and somewhere along the way there was a plunge.

I felt like…like I was suddenly anchored. It was such a welcomed sensation to be anchored to something so warm, soft, and squishy.

It was such a comforting feeling compared to the feeling of nothingness that I had suffered for however long that my mind didn't bother register anything else like the fact that I wasn't the only one sharing this lovely warm and squishy place.

Tiredness seemed to swell within me and I found myself with the fleeting thoughts of when was the last time I slept?

I was tired so tired that as I dozed off I questioned if I would even wake back up but that was ludicrous right…I mean I was already dead…

I dozed and dozed and dozed some more…I had become a real life sleeping beauty though, I knew my prince would never come.

Time truly blurred…that or it just didn't exist…lest not to me…not anymore.

All too suddenly something changed and woke me up and I really wish it hadn't. I was being pushed and shoved all around me, in all directions. Let me tell you something….it hurt like a bitch…so I fought like one.

Unfortunately fighting back didn't help me, it seemed to only make the compressions worse, but I was stubborn, and I didn't stop.

The pressure continued building and then then it stopped, and I had freedom…but the freedom wasn't any better.

The squeezing pain was nothing…nothing compared to the biting cold that met me. If there was one thing I hated it was the cold.

I was blind, hearing impaired, was suffering from paralysis, was **_fucking_** **_cold_** and if that wasn't enough I felt a sharp pain to my lower region. Someone had the audacity to strike me.

I was so enraged, I screamed.

Somewhere in the background I could hear babies crying and wished they would just shut the hell up because lord knew I really didn't like those snot nosed brats.

I didn't take in consideration that I was also screaming…nor the fact that I was one of those snot nosed brats crying.

* * *

 ** **My first Naruto fanfic and its a crossover lol. This is a concept that has been burning my mind ever since I was hit with Naruto x VD fever**** , ** **when I couldn't find anything with Bonnie as the leading lady or really much of any VD/ Naruto I decided to make this.****

* * *

 **EDITED:08.26.18**


	2. The hand I've been dealt

****Thanks for the reviews!****

 ** **Please Enjoy!****

* * *

 _ ** _ **She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."**_**_

 _ ** _ **\- Third Hokage**_**_

* * *

My childhood…well my _second_ childhood was a rather interesting one.

Why? I'm glad you asked.

For one, I was born with purple hair. Yeah bet your wondering your pretty little heads how that's even remotely possible, to be honest, ** _I_** don't even know, though I was pretty sure it had something to do with my father whose hair was seemed to resemble some type of ombre swirl of purples and reds with shades of rose thrown in for fun, but I was glad for one thing... I at least got to keep my tanned caramelized complexion... waking up in this place with my new family...ya girl needed some sort of familiarity to keep me somewhat sane...but let me backtrack because I'm getting ahead of myself.

My name was Carina Lynn Bennett, heir to the Bennett throne, I was a witch and a damn good one if I might say so.

I had a baby sister named Bonnie Sheila Bennett who was also a witch who I loved so dearly that I had been willing to give my life to stop her from risking her life to save her dumb ass friends.

And when I finally thought my work for the universe and nature was all done and I would be living it up in heaven or the other side with hot guys ready to give me back massages and dote on me hand and foot. The universe slapped me across the face with a 'Bye Felica!' before placing me in a new body.

So basically, what I am saying is that I was reincarnated.

My name **_now_** is Renge.

I was currently a whiney know it all, snot nosed brat and once again a big sister though unlike the four years that separated Bon-Bon and I apart, I was only older than my newest baby sister by four seconds, ironic huh?

Her name was Sakura.

To be honest I was getting better with accepting my new reality…however what I was still trying to wrap my mind around was the **' _where'_** I was.

Now don't get me wrong, being a witch and being surrounded by magic all my life, I was open to some pretty weird and fucked up shit, but nothing…I repeat nothing could have prepared me for the possibility of being not only reborn **_but also_** reborn into a world that didn't fucking exist in the first place…especially not the world of Naruto.

Let me take a breather….

Now like I was saying, I'm an open girl, but this…this was a bit much…

I must say the spirits really know how to stir the pot…but I suppose it could have been worse…there are worse anime worlds to end up in…but still.

Now like I was saying before, I was getting better at the whole kid thing but let me tell you it was harder than you think. Having the mind of an adult and having the body of a child is not fun.

It's also not safe…but before I could correct myself it was far too late for me…and, unfortunately, Sakura too.

"Renge-chan…"

I opened my eyes and looked up as my new mother approached me, she was a beautiful woman, honestly, the anime's never did the actual characters any damn justice. Her name was Tsubaki and she had porcelain skin, long blonde hair pinned into an elegant low bun by red and white flowers that were her namesake. She legs for days, she was like a willow tree yet with the right amount of curves but my favorite feature of her besides her not being like Abby in any way shape or form was her moss green eyes that were rimmed with blue.

Her husband and my Father's name was Botan. He, thank the spirits was the reason that I had been blessed to keep my caramel complexion as he too carried it, along with the height of a redwood and the muscle build of a Baobab tree. He was also to blame for Sakura and I having our distinctly unique hair color as his own hair was a swirl or both reds, pinks and purples that he tended to wear long in a braid that was also in a low bun, though not being held by the flower that was his namesake. He had deep blue eyes that held a sort of hazel and gold-flecked ring around them. He much like Tsubaki, was the complete opposite of my previous father Rudy as far as being in my life. There has yet to be a time when I questioned when the next time I was going to see my father despite the hellish world I now lived in…I knew he was going to come home to us every single time...or at least try too.

Yes if I sound bitter, or salty it's because I am…and yes I might have developed some abandonment issues…but so what.

"Yes, Kaa-san?" That was another thing, being born into this world I could apparently speak and understand Japanese, however, to my amazement I learned that I could still speak and read in English as well and for that, I thanked the spirits. It was something that I had slowly been teaching Sakura as a precaution, our parents were surprised but quickly wrote it off as us creating our own secret code and I was content to let them continue to think that way.

Given my past life, I had to know a multitude of languages; not to sound arrogant but any competent much less exceptional witch would have no less than at least three foreign languages under their arsenal. I knew Archaic Latin obviously as most spells required one to know especially the older stronger spells but also French and Aramaic, I was sure if I tried I would be able to speak in those as well but I wasn't quite sure if it was really necessary. I made a note to take Sakura along with me to the library the next chance we got to even see if there was any record of those languages being spoken. Knowing English and teaching it to Sakura to speak in code would be enough to make anyone look twice, I didn't need to put an unnecessary target on my back for knowing other languages that potentially didn't exist in this world.

"Have you finished your mediating?" My mother asked as she looked at me with an expression that only held love and pride.

"Yes, Kaa-san, I have finished." I said politely as I began standing from my meditative position. I had taken to meditating like a fish to water, it was just something that I was used to from my previous life along with yoga, it often helped me feel more connected to my magic and to nature.  
It was something that I just wasn't willing to give up and although my parents found my yoga poses somewhat strange especially when they watched me strike a Kala Bhairavasana or otherwise known as the destroyer of the universe pose they didn't interfere instead praising my flexibility and promoting that I help my little sister with hers as well, and thus Sakura soon found herself as my newest downward-facing dog partner.

"Good, come with me. It's time for you and Sakura-chan to continue your etiquette lessons before your Father comes home, then you two may continue your strength training." She said with a smile before disappearing back into our home.

Yeah, another thing I was getting used too, I was getting etiquette lessons and training.

Why? Because apparently, I fucked up my innocent childhood when I initiated a game of ninja tag with Sakura in our backyard and unknowingly slipped up showing off my natural charka control (which I was pretty sure had something to do with me being a witch because as far as I knew character wise Sakura was the only one with perfect charka control) and then preceded to showcase my sensing abilities by calling out to our father who had hidden in a tree to coo over his adorable twin daughters who wanted to become ninja.

You would think the warning bells would have went off when father and mother started paying a bit more attention to not just me but Sakura as well.

Sakura seemed to idolize me, everything I did she did too…so when I began speaking not as a child should and more like a had swallowed an entire encyclopedia set (thank you, previous life for granting me with such an extensive vocabulary) and walking much faster than that of the normal clanless child, you can bet your bottom dollar she was right behind me following like my own personal little duckling.

Not that I wasn't used to this kind of behavior from Bonnie, but Sakura was on a whole new level of sister worship. And I know, you're probably like nah…she can't be that bad, but let me lay down the facts: she is the Sasuke to my Itachi…except you know I haven't slaughtered my clan and she's not out to kill me but details details...

I must admit when it first clicked that I was in the Naruto world and I was reborn as Sakura's twin sister I took that as a sign. I swore to myself that she would be nothing like the Sakura from canon if I could help it. She wouldn't be some crazy fangirl- some weak damsel in distress that allowed her team to carry her, or some shallow...well she _could_ be shallow if she wanted just as long as she was capable of defending herself first. She would be strong...I would help make her strong. She was gonna be a downright ferocious, confident and beautiful creature damnit, as sure as her hair was cotton candy pink.

My knowledge had doomed me as much as it had doomed her and now instead of being innocent children picking flowers and playing with our toys; our parents saw fit to train us.

Now I know that this little bit of information must come as a shock to you, I must say it surprised me greatly.

I am not completely ignorant of the Naruto anime, Bonnie believe it or not was secretly a hoarder of the stories and as her doting big sister, I fed into her guilty pleasure by looking out for anime for us to enjoy binge watching together Naruto was just one of many.

So yeah, I knew all about well everything…however, the anime never focused specifically on Sakura or on her clan history…I mean from what I knew about her, her family was supposed to be merchant trading civilians... but **_just_** civilians which was why she had such low chakra reserves.

So, learning that her…well **_our_** clan had a fighting style just like the Uchiha and that our parents despite not being ninjas knew the process and all the skills needed to become a ninja was startling suspicious...but it also made me want to learn even more.

It was beginning to become clear to me that the Haruno's weren't all that they seemed to be, and I was just dying to find out what it was my family seemed to be so content in hiding.

"Renge-chan, Sakura-chan are you ready to begin today's lesson?" Tsubaki asked us as we sat in front of her.

"Hai, Kaa-san." We both said simultaneously.

Our mother's etiquette training wasn't so bad as it was tedious. If there was one thing I hated it was boredom and sitting seiza in a yukata for so long that when I finally stood my legs felt the equivalent of jelly that more than not left Sakura and I using each other as a support system.

Then of course listening to our mother drone on and on about the importance tea serving and flower arrangement and addressing people with the correct honorific literally had me forcing myself to bolt out of the room to endure fathers rather ruthless physical training, but of course not before I bowed to her like a proper lady should.

And fathers training…like I said was rather ruthless, if I wasn't who I was and having a clear understanding of this doggy dog shinobi world, I probably would have thought he hated us.

He instructed us to wear weights at all times except for when we slept and when we showered to help build our strength. He made us do laps around the house in those damned weights to build our stamina and so I wasn't surprised when he also made us also wear those accursed weights through his training regimen.

Now even knowing all this, you can probably imagine my shock when our mother began attending our physical training with the family fighting style.

She was the one that brought up different kata for us to learn. She drilled us with different kata that she said we wouldn't learn in the academy that we would be attending when we came of an age she deemed appropriate and warned she wouldn't hesitate to skin father alive if he submitted us early. She wanted her sweet delicate little flowers to know the family fighting style but all that I could think about was the fact that she said the Haruno clan was **_her_** family fighting style…

That bit of information…that slip of the tongue further cemented my suspicions.  
If mother's last name was Haruno then what was father's? That was only one of many questions that raged through my mind…yet when questioned, mother and father would get guarded or entirely disregard the question like it wasn't asked.

"Alright, we're finished for today. What we will begin to start discussing next will be poisons, how to identify, make and cure." Our mother said seriously before flashing us a smile. "Well done my flowers."

"Ok, thank you Kaa-san." I said automatically even as Sakura said the same. We stood slowly before bowing to our mother and calmly walking away.

"Nee-chan are you ok?" Sakura asked me as we went to our shared room.

I looked at her in confusion. "Yes of course, why do you ask?"

"Well, you have that look in your eyes again." She said as she continued to stare at me.

"Look?" I asked her curiously.

"Yeah, it's the look you usually have before you sneak cookies from the kitchen before dinner, the one where you're gauging if the risk of getting caught is worth the reward of getting what you want." She said shooting me a knowing look.

I opened my mouth before closing it and settling for chuckling instead. "Saku-chan you really watch me that much huh?"

"N-no!" She said flushing. "But you're my sister, of course I know how to read you."

"It's ok Saku-chan I don't mind that you watch me." I cooed ruffling her shoulder length pink hair and messy bangs. "I watch you too."

She blushed again before turning away and searching our shared wardrobe for some workout clothes.

"What do you think Tou-san and Kaa-san will have us practice today?" She asked before shuddering. "I hope he will give us a break from genjustsu, I don't know if I could take watching you get hurt again even if it is an illusion."

I couldn't help but mentally agree.

When mother had brought up how great our charka control was, father had decided he would start teaching us the art of genjutsu...how he even knew it or had the ability to use it…your guess as good as mine but his method of teaching left something to be desired.

It started off small, little creepy things like spiders and other creepy crawlies but when that lost its effect he began upping the scale ultimately showing both of us genjutsu's where we were fatally wounded and crying out for help or worse dead and blaming the other twin.

It was enough for us to come out of it shaking and dry heaving as we held onto each other for dear life with our father reminding us that an enemy ninja would not feel bad about using such a jutsu and in fact would take advantage of our weaken state, so we had to get stronger and learn to dispel the jutsu without a second thought.

If we had nightmares for weeks on end because of it, it only served to cement what he said about us needing to get stronger.

Our father continued hitting us with the jutsu at random times until our bodies began dispelling them with an unconscious effort. The first month of this particular training was hell, yes…but then the second part which was actually projecting a genjutsu onto another was even harder.

Our father stated that to make an effective genjutsu the genjutsu needed to not only look real but 'feel' real and without any further words he began putting us through a series of touching activities.

He would hit us with a genjutsu tell us to endure it if only to take note of what we saw, what we felt and even what we smelt before dispelling it.

He would have us touch plenty of harmless things, like tree bark to even the soft flower petals, he would even make us sit still as he let a living spider crawl over our arms and legs but none of that bothered me as much as when he began trying to get us to create genjutsu's that made the person think they were cut down or was set on fire…those were the worst.

I swear if I didn't know that they loved us…I would for sure question their methods.

"Well we went over genjutsu yesterday, I'm sure we'll go over some of the usual stuff like taijutsu because there's always improvement there." I said with a shrug as we both donned red t-shirts with the Haruno crest and black shorts.

I immediately sat in my chair as Sakura began pulling my hair back into a high ponytail because even in my new life I still couldn't do my own hair.

While Sakura had liked her hair a rather short bob length just slightly touched her shoulders, I let my own grow out several inches pasted my shoulder blades.

I waited for her to pull her own hair back into a tiny ponytail before I made sure her weights were secure. Once my check was done we headed outside to meditate knowing that our father would join us when he was ready.

"Nee-chan, do you think Tou-san would be mad if we started without him?" Sakura asked after we finished our meditation, our warm-up laps around the house and our stretches…and still, our father hadn't come.

"No, I don't think so. What do you wanna practice first?" I asked her.

She smiled before shifting into a fighting position and I smirked. "Oh, you want to fight me huh?"

She grinned widely even as she flushed. "I want to spar with against you, yes."

"Ok." I said before sliding into not only a fighting position but puesdo-sensai as well. "Now remember, never just attack when facing an enemy, measure them up first. Know thy enemy watch your opponents eyes and you will know whether you should engage them or have the come at you."

"Hai!"

After a moment of us holding the position, I struck out like lightening swinging my leg towards her head at a neck breaking speed and smiling when she dodged and thus our game of cat and mouse commenced.

"Good job Saku-chan." I said pausing and giving both of us time to catch our breaths. "But remember you cannot dodge me forever, I want you to attack me too and if you have enough charka try to trap me in a genjutsu, its good practice."

"Hai…" She said with a pout before she struck out and it was my turn to practice dodging.

I dispelled her genjutsu and blocked her kick to my face before pushing her back, I moved faster than she and I both anticipated when I appeared by her side sweeping her legs from under her and pinning her to the ground with a kunai to her throat.

"I surrender." She said evenly and I helped her to her feet when clapping was heard from behind me.

We both turned to see Tou-san watching us with calculative eyes. "Very good my little flowers, keep yourself sharp after all roses must have sharp thorns to survive right? "

"Hai Tou-san, welcome home." We said flashing him identical smiles.

* * *

 ** **I changed several things like Sakura's parent's names, backgrounds and some of their physical descriptions to fit the needs of my fanfic.****

 ** **Tsbuski - Camellia flower****

 ** **Botan - Peony****

 ** **Renge - Lotus flower****

* * *

 ** **EDITED:08.26.18****


	3. Stranger Things

****Thanks for the reviews!****

 ** **Please Enjoy!****

* * *

 _ ** _ **She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."**_**_

 _ ** _ **\- Third Hokage**_**_

* * *

"Nee-chan

"Nee-chan are you ready?" Sakura asked me.

"Of course, let's go." I said reaching for the door only to stop at the sound of our mother's voice.

"Just a minute please." Our mother said, and it took everything in me not to groan.

"What is it Kaa-san?" Sakura asked sounding as anxious as I felt.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" She asked after a moment of staring at us.

"Kaa-san, we know the way to the library by ourselves we know practically the entire village layout because of you and Tou-san's training." Sakura whined.

"I know I just…promise that you two will be careful." Now that got me curious, if she was being just her regular doting self it would be different but there was something else in the tone of her voice besides motherly worry.

"Kaa-san-"

"Kaa-san we'll be fine, there's no safer place than the village." Sakura said cutting me off with a blinding smile.

I looked at my mother, she looked equally happy and sad at the same time as she looked at Sakura. "Yes, Sakura-chan…you're right, but still promise that you two will stick to each other's side no matter what."

"Of course, why would I want to be on anyone's side that wasn't nee-chan's?" She said in confusion, but her smile never wavered.

"Renege-chan can I speak with you before you two leave?"

"Of course, Kaa-san." I said before looking at Sakura. "Saku-chan, I think I left my wallet on the dresser, can you grab it for me?"

"Baka-nee, of course." She said before rushing towards our shared room.

"What I might say will probably not make sense to you now, but despite your sister's naivety this village also has its dangers. You have always been more perceptive than your sister, faster to catch on to things too, there will be things that you see in the village that will make you question humanity…I want you to do your best to not get too involved, but also never let your sense of duty to this village prevent you from doing what's right."

I blinked. Well…that was completely unexcepted.

"Do you understand flower?" She asked staring at me with her penetrating eyes and I found my body nodding on instinct before my brain could even send the command.

"I knew you would." She smiled and kissed my head as Sakura came back into the room tossing my wallet at me.

"Can we go now?" She asked our mother who now nodded her head a bit more relaxed than before.

Sakura cheered before we exited the house.

We could have entered the academy a year maybe even two in advance. With how our father was training us and how we both soaked up all that glorious knowledge, it was only my mother's fear that we would also be smart enough to graduate early and in her not so subtle words 'Thrown to the wolves' that we were forced to wait instead of attending with the other children our age.

If I ever questioned that there had been a major muck up with the timeline this was surely it.

Sakura was supposed to go to school and get classed with all the other clan kids, get bullied, meet Ino blah blah blah…but that wasn't happening. Our parents instead seemed more content to teach us everything themselves.

With that noted the question brimming in my mind was just what exactly _were_ our parents waiting for? A freaking invitation from the Hokage?

Despite our father's excitement of our what he called 'prodigal skills' he too seemed to have the same mind set because he then began training us on how to conceal the very skills we worked so hard to achieve until we could pass for lack luster civilian children.

It was then I gained a respect for Stefan and his skill of playing 'I'm a high school human' for as long as he did and Caroline as well. Pretending to be a civilian was just plain awful.

Excuse my Hidan, but to be frank it fucking sucked ass.

We had to train our bodies to purposefully move at a slower pace, at a civilian space.

We had to be much subtler in our observational skills because civilians might have noticed things but not the things that paranoid shinobis noticed…and yes shinobis were hella paranoid. With the training our parents had gave us, we were paranoid as hell…it was reflex at this point so it was incredibly grueling to just tone it down.

It was and odd thing, walking around Konoha and not being enrolled in neither the academy for ninja or the academy for civilians.

We certainly got a few confused looks as we walked by, but I wasn't too concerned as long as no one stopped to question us.

The library was easier to get into then I thought it was going to be, though the guard standing watch did seem to do a double take upon seeing us.

"Good morning dears my name is Harumi Chikara, is there anything I can help you with?"

Sakura and I turned and flashed the elder woman duel smiles. Sakura seemed to wait for my lead so I walked closer to the older woman.

"Good morning Harumi-san, we were interested in some general maps of Kohona and the other villages as well."

"Nee-chan don't forget the medical text." Sakura added as her eyes surveyed the library.

"Yes, medical text… oh and a dictionary." I said.

Sakura nodded. "Yes, just in case…oh also if you have anything on the different kata."

"Oh, and if you have a book or scroll on different known plants and their abilities. That would be great as well...um I think that's enough to start us off for right now."

"Oh my…" The woman said seemingly shocked by our requests. She walked from behind her desk taking a long look at us and sizing us up. "Are you two training to be kunoichi?"

"Shinobi…were training to be shinobi." I said.

Her smile stretched. "Yes, of course."

She nodded before motioning for us to follow her.

Instead of finding us the books like I thought she was going to do, she instead gave us the run down of the library, how it worked and was set up, how the books were cataloged and where the scrolls were sorted and located at.

Once we had a clear understanding of where all the materials were at she left us to our own devices, but I didn't mind, I actually preferred it.

Sakura and I spent hours in the library secluded away in a corner that we had claimed as our own immersed into our books and scrolls taking notes and looking up terms were didn't understand in the dictionary if needed.

Chikara-san, we knew checked on us every once and a while. I couldn't blame her even if I thought it was a nuisance. I wondered how many young children walked in here to learn and actually sat and read…quietly?

With how she seemed to watch us in amazement, not very many.

Sakura and I took a small break, using it to get out of our seats and stretch, use the bathroom before we came back and swapped the text and the notes we each took, immersing ourselves in reading once again.

It was only when I heard Sakura's stomach growl and her face fluster with embarrassment did we decide to leave for the day.

We walked back to Chikara-san after putting away the text and scrolls we had both finished before bringing the few historical and medical text books that we still needed to look over to the front.

Chikara-san surprised me as she let us checkout the material we had before saying that she hoped to see us again soon. During our little break she had enlightened me that she had a granddaughter around our age that was in the academy who also frequented the library, though we had happened to just miss her…

I took the hint for what it was plastering a smile across my face and telling her that we would love to meet her and that maybe we could all study together.

Chikara-san's face brightened in a way that I found oddly sad, she was much too hopeful and I wondered briefly if her granddaughter even had any friends.

I looked back at Sakura who was trying to shove as many scrolls as she could into her bag. In the Naruto series, Sakura was incredibly shy to the point where she could be classified as socially inept…she spent an unhealthy amount of time in the library alone because she didn't have any friends, and even when she eventually gained Ino it was only because she was getting bullied like crazy…was Chikara-san's granddaughter going through something like that? I frowned at the thought.

 _…well its not like it would hurt to have some allies around the village…especially one that works in here…_ I mused to myself as Sakura managed to shove yet another scroll in her bag and smiling in triumph before proceeding to fill her arms with text.

The guard stared at us with intrigue but didn't comment when we walked out of the library arms filled with historical text and casually talking about the best way to assassinate someone without leaving behind evidence of us ever being there.

"Where do you want to eat?" I asked Sakura as we were once more roaming around town.

"Hm…" Sakura mused her eyes darting to different places before her eyes stopped at a smaller stand that was hidden from others. "Oh I know, how about ramen?"

I blinked. "Ramen?"

I felt a shiver go down my spine and I wondered if this was to be a sign of foreshadowing. I looked towards where she was pointing as she rambled on about how the shop didn't even look crowded which made it perfect because she knew how much I didn't like crowded areas.

To my horror the ramen shop that she had chosen was Ichiraku's ramen shop.

Taking my silence as a 'go ahead' Sakura laced her fingers in mine and quickly made her way to the shop.

I tensed expecting to see any of the canon characters only to relax when I was met with the sight of an empty shop.

Sakura and I quickly took a seat as an older man made his appearance. "Hello welcome to Ichiraku, my name is Teuchi how may I help you?"

"Hello Teuchi-san." We said simultaneously and the older man blinked staring at us for a moment before returning our smile.

"Ano, nee-chan I don't know which ramen to get." Sakura said with a frown as she looked over all the different options.

"I know, they all sound delicious…hm perhaps we both get a different one and then try each other's?" I offered.

"Ok, but what are you going to pick?"

"Hmm." I mused even though I already knew what I was going to get…I mean how could I not, it was his favorite after all.

"Can I get a miso ramen with extra pork please?" I asked Teuchi-san before Sakura asked for miso ramen but instead of pork with extra vegetables.

I pouted as I looked at her when Teuchi-san went to fix our orders.

"What?"

"You're going to eat my pork aren't you?" I said while narrowing my eyes on her.

She smirked. "Of course, you got extra…"

Teuchi-san was seemingly back in a flash with two steaming bowls of ramen in front of us. My mouth watered as I stared at the bowl. Sakura and I raised our chopstick saying a quick thank you before digging in.

I now knew why miso with extra pork was Naruto's favorite ramen…

I moaned and couldn't form the life of me feel the least bit ashamed as I abandoned my etiquette training to eat like a savage animal and Sakura wasn't any better as she continuously plucked pieces of pork from my bowl.

Teuchi-san laughed placing another bowl for each of us once we had effectively eaten the first bowl in under five minutes.

"Thank you…it was so good." I said and was once again unashamed to note that I did in fact have tears in my eyes.

"I'm glad to see more people enjoying my food, though now this will make three people that enjoy my miso ramen so much."

"Oh yes, even though I haven't tried the others this one is most certainly the best!" Sakura said without a doubt sounding like a ramen connoisseur despite this being her first time.

"Yes, without a doubt!" I said backing her. "Though now I need something sweet…"

Ichiraku gasped at us in shock at our appetites before laughing at us as we paid and left the shop.

Sakura rolled her eyes as she saw what shop I was headed to. "Dango?"

I smiled "Dango."

Now if there was one thing that I could say that I truly enjoyed more than necessary…it was dango. My sweet tooth was positively horrid when in my last life but now…it was a freaken monster...and I was complexly insatiable when concerning sweets. The fact that I was strong kunoichi only furthered to promote my devouring of the sweet dish.

"Dango~ dango~ dango~ dango~ dango~" I said softly before clapping my hands three times and repeating the words before pausing mid sentence in my singing as I looked ups and met Sakura's eyes that were glittering with amusement.

"Oi, why are you not singing with me, it's embarrassing you know?"

"No what's embarrassing is that you even have a song for dango in the first place." She said snickering into her hand.

I scowled. "Your just jealous that you didn't think of something so clever, is all."

She laughed again. "I am, my nee-san would rather sing about dango than me, why must the world be so cruel?"

I rolled my eyes before practically inhaling the dango at a rate that I was sure even the Akimichi would be proud of.

I was happy to note that for the second time, we were spared from running into any canon characters though a part of me had secretly hopped to catch a certain snake mistress here.

Sakura and I finished soon enough…with me eating the majority before deciding to head back home.

Over the course of four weeks we had developed a routine. Wake up, meditate, study, train, head off into the village to learn something new from the library, try a new shop, eat dango, study, train some more, meditate, sleep and wake up and do it all over again.

We eventually ran into Chikara's granddaughter, whose name I didn't recall from the series. Her name was Chikage and wow wasn't that a striking name?

Chikage despite her rather dark name was exactly what I first thought, incredibly shy and quiet. She had lovely hazel eyes that bled from gold to green and bob styled wavy brown hair with natural blonde highlights. She was short…4'8 or maybe 4'9 but she most certainly wasn't at all 5'0…but despite her height she had an athletic build, as noted when she did certain body movements her muscles rippling under the surface of her skin…

Chikage who I immediately dubbed Chika-chan was utterly adorkable once she got comfortable around you…and happened to be a wealth of knowledge. She became an even more prized source when she confessed that Chikara-san in her spare time was teaching her tessenjutsu.

I was glad to find out she did have friends though from the looks of it they were worth much considering the discomfort about even mentioning them. Chika-chan confessed that they weren't the easiest people to get on with but they were what she had before quickly changing the subject.

Both Sakura and my eyes gleamed in appreciation when she showed us one of her practice war fans. Unlike Temari who used a giant one Chika-chan used two fans that were approximately thirteen inches that she kept tied to her waist when not in use, looking deceptively decorative.

We shared a knowing look when Chika-chan was called by her grandmother, oh yes we would be spiriting her away from her 'friends' and hording her for our own…it was only a matter of time…

Of course, hanging out with Chika-chan and slowly but surely pulling her to the dark side, learning new things and training wasn't all we did. We took trips outside of the village as well.

The first time was to visit our relatives on our mother's side who happened to live in the land of waves where my luck seemed to end with the whole not running into canon characters.

 _"Nee-chan is this what you've been doing these last couple days?" Sakura said with a pout as she stared between me and the foreign boy that I stood protectively in front of._

 _"He's cold and hungry, I'm just helping him Saku-chan." I said as I removed my coat placing it on his shoulders and giving him my pork bun._

 _"But Tou-san said not to speak to strangers, I don't want you to get in trouble." She whispered with worry._

 _I chuckled at her concern, she was so cute. "We aren't strangers, we're friends!" I said easily turning to him. "Right Haku-kun?"_

 _His eyes widened in alarm at me saying his name… that he had yet to tell me, but that was his only tell and if I wasn't searching for it I would have missed it…he was good. Instead of refuting my claim Haku just nodded looking between us._

 _"Oh, well then if nee-chan says so," She said reservations about the boy being dangerous instantly disappearing as she gave him a smile. "I'm Haruno, Sakura and you already know my nee-chan."_

 _He nodded at her though his chocolate brown eyes never left my own, he in fact did not know my name but he was playing along._

 _"Ne Haku-kun-" I watched as Sakura began talking up a storm with the boy that was undoubtedly older than us by a year or two though he didn't look it._

 _I smiled at her, she had changed so much compared to canon. She was braver, more confident in herself…of course I knew I was somewhat responsible having an older sibling that would have your back through thick and thin was bound to placate most children but the most part was because she wanted to be confident, she wanted to be brave and strong.  
And who was I deny my baby sister?_

This soon became the routine, as we stayed in the hidden mist village…but that was a story for a later time…

Sakura and I were more than content to continue our routine the way it was, in my perspective, we were getting the best of both worlds of the civilian and the shinobi lifestyle.

It was wonderful…

Least until I had the pleasure of waking up one sunny morning to the news that we would be starting the academy soon…as in effective immediately…

"Aw but why now?" Sakura had taken the words right out of my mouth. The irony I know…but alas now that I had gotten used to our little routine I didn't want to break…besides the academy had already started serval days ago…we were late and Kohona didn't do late enrollment.

"There are other things to be learned little flowers, and for that you need to attend the academy." Tou-san said with a chuckle though to my ears it sounded rather forced.

"Besides it will be good for you two to make friends with other people." My mother's smile was a bit too wide…

I raised an eyebrow even as Sakura scrunched up her nose in distaste that would have made an Uchiha look twice with pride. "Why do I need anyone else when I have nee-san?"

"Ren-chan might not be here all the time, there will come a time where you and Ren-chan will be separated from each other…" Kaa-san said shaking her head as she looked at Sakura and I narrowed my eyes at her tone of voice before removing all expression from my face…there was something there in my mother's voice…a warning.

Sakura with all her intelligence seemed utterly bewildered by the mere thought. "Where wouldn't she be going that I wouldn't be able to follow?"

She turned to me her tone almost accusing. "Where are you going nee-chan? I won't be left behind."

"I not going anywhere, and I'll **_never_** leave you behind Sakura." I said seriously pretending as if I didn't notice how my parents shared a look with each other. "But I think Kaa-san is saying that even though we have each other, it's nice to also have allies as well. What if it comes a time we have to work in a team or a group, we should know some of their weakness and strengths ne?"

"Hai! Nee-chan you are so clever!" She said with a carefree smile before throwing her arms around me and squeezing me to her, there was a knowing glint in her eyes.

I smiled and squeezed her arm back before she pulled out of the hug.

"You two will go to the academy today and since you two are rather late entering you will be tested and placed in classes for your skill level." Our father told us.

We nodded before going through our daily motions of getting dressed.

We both donned kimono styled red t-shirts with the Haruno crest Sakura tied her shirt with a lavender obi that matched my hair and I the same with a pink obi. Sakura and I both donned black shorts with knee high black sock and our ninja sandals.

When I finished I immediately sat in my chair as Sakura began pulling my hair back into a low bun before she sat down and I did the same with her own hair. Sakura's usual medium length styled hair was now several inches past her shoulders. Her hair wasn't as long as mine but it was getting there.

"Nee-chan, what do you think of me growing my hair out?" She asked as I finished securing her bun like she did for me just seconds prior.

"I like it, you haven't worn your hair long in a while, but I also know that you prefer to keep your hair shorter. It's really up to you. Do you want to grow it out fully?"

She shrugged before looking at my hair. "My hair is straight and boring unlike yours, that curls freely."

"You mean your hair is sleek and elegant, unlike my very wild curls that you are taming on a daily basis? If you grow out your hair you will look beautiful. If you keep it short you will look beautiful. You will look good no matter what and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

She flushed under my words but nodded. "H-hai."

We strapped our weapon pouches to our thighs before heading downstairs to where our parents awaited.

We ate breakfast talking amongst ourselves before we headed towards the academy.

Never had I thought the place of some of my favorite characters would look so foreboding. Sakura and I were told to take a seat in a waiting room when we gathered looks from the children that were out playing and the other shinobi as well.

I wouldn't say the I was nervous, but I most certainly didn't refuse when Sakura placed her hand in my own sending a reassuring squeeze. And if I sent some back that was my business.

I watched as our parents disappeared into a room with several older shinobi, my senses going haywire as I felt charka spikes.

"Nee-chan?"

"Sakura listen closely." I said to her even as I felt the armed male guard that stood by the door focus their attention on us.

"I think they're going to test us." I said switching over to English.

"Yes, I figured that much. We are entering the academy much later than other children our age and Kaa-san and Tou-san while acting really strange, told us that much. But we are really smart and strong so I'm sure we'll be fine."

"The test of our intelligence isn't what I'm worried about." I said my eyes sliding back over to the guard who was staring at us with a blank face that if the frustration in grey his eyes was anything to go by, he couldn't understand what we were saying.

"Then what has got you so tense besides that guy with the sword on his back...is he even necessary we're only taking an entrance test not battling anbu right?" She asked looking over at the guard with a frown of her own.

"I think they might make us fight. They might even decide to split us up and place us in different classes…" I said my frown deepening.

"Eh?" Her eyes widened as they snapped back to me. "I'm mean, you really think so? They can't do that right? Not without Tou-san and Kaa-san's permission, and they would never have us separated, we are too much of a perfect pair together."

"It's just a feeling…one that I can't shake especially with how Tou-san and Kaa-san were acting, and no Tou-san and Kaa-san would never _voluntary_ have us separated. But it's not like they would have much of a choice if someone of higher status made the call…"

"Renge…what are you saying…" She said saying my name revealing just how frightened she was, her eyes darting around out of habit.

"I just want you to be prepared." I said placing my hand on her cheek and drawing her eyes once more to my own. "No matter what, I won't leave you behind."

She nodded and we both turned our head towards the sound of the door opening. Two different shinobis walked out of the room making their way towards us but our parents did not though I noted the guard with the sword strapped to his back went into the room with my parents after sparing us a second glance...interesting.

"Haruno Renge, Haruno Sakura, follow us." The shinobi didn't wait for an answer before turning and walking down a separate hallway.

I felt Sakura tense beside me before I grabbed her hand giving it a squeeze leading the way as I began to follow the men.

* * *

 **Members of the Harumi family are my own characters**

 **Chikara - Power**

 **C** **hikage** **\- Blood Shadow**

 **Harumi - Springtime Beauty**

 **Yes I know Harumi and Haruno are startlingly similar. There's a reason for that.**

* * *

 ** **EDITED:08.27.18****


	4. New Kids

****Thanks for the reviews!****

 ** **Please Enjoy!****

* * *

 _ ** _ **She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."**_**_

 _ ** _ **\- Third Hokage**_**_

* * *

We were led towards a classroom of sorts and placed at tables on opposite sides of each other. We were each given a two page test and told we had thirty minutes to complete the test in its entirely. If we didn't complete the test we would automatically fail and if we completed the test but didn't get a good score...well the answer was obvious.

Sakura and I weren't worried about the pressure that they were pressing down upon us knowing that it was just one among the many ninja tactics used to weed out the weak. We instead flashed each other smiles before the older shinobi told us to begin.

We finished around the same time with the shinobi collecting Sakura's test only seconds before my own before the shinobi disappeared.

When the shinobi reappeared, we were then located towards another classroom where I was surprised to see Iruka Naruto's sensei waiting for us.

He smiled as he looked at us even as he accepted a scroll from one of the shinobi that walked with us before we were quite literally abandoned into his care.

"Hello there, my name is Iruka but you can call me Iruka-sensei." Iruka said with a polite smile to which I nodded as Sakura let a reserved hello back. "Congratulations on passing the written exam, the both of you passed without a single error, I'm incredibly impressed. You will be taking another test at the end of the second week to test your combat skills."

I tensed, and Sakura was once more the voice for the both of us as she said 'Hai.'

I ignored Iruka's words as he began talking, I knew Sakura was listening and she'd tell me everything he said later on. My eyes instead took in the classroom, it was just like the anime. I could literally envision where everyone was siting as well.

"Nee-chan." Sakura's voice pulled me from my thoughts as I looked at her. I blinked noticing that she had led me outside to where the other children were at. "Iruka-sensei said it was lunch time, so everyone is playing."

I took note that she had conveniently led us to a semi secluded area where she was conveniently able to seat herself to look innocent playing up her shy demeanor while making flower crowns yet have a view of all of our potential classmates so she could watch them subtlety to know who to weed out as potential allies and possible enemies.  
 _Kaa-san never gave you enough credit, ever such a clever girl…_ I smiled knowing what she was going to be doing til this break was over.

I nodded my eyes flickering around taking in different faces of the students none particularly standing out besides the obvious rookie nine, but of course that was before my eyes of caught one lone child separated from the masses on the swing set.

"I think I want to swing." I said evenly, and Sakura nodded after she glanced towards the swing set seeing the lone boy.

"When I finish, I will met you and our new friend." She said, and I didn't bother answering instead making my way towards where the blond haired boy sat by himself watching his classmates with a crestfallen expression.

His eyes were so busy watching the other student's that he gave a frightful jump, yelping when I sat on the swing next to him.

I sat in the swing barely moving my legs and more so letting the breeze let me sway as I flashed him a friendly grin.

"Hi, I'm Renge Haruno. What's your name?"

The boy blinked before looking around before looking back at me and slowly pointing towards himself. "Me?"

"Who else would I be taking too, we are the only ones on the swings after all…" I said cocking my head to the side to watch him.

He flushed in embarrassment. "Oh uh…my names Naruto Uzumaki."

I nodded going back to staring at the others for a moment searching the grounds of the trees looking for my favorite Nara before looking back at Naruto when I felt his eyes on me. I flashed him another friendly grin and he immediately looked away his face aflame at being caught.

"Say, Naruto-kun…" He seemed to choke on the name I'd given him in a short amount of time, but I pretended that I saw nothing. "Why are you over here by yourself, why not playing with the others?"

"Why aren't you?" He countered.

I chuckled at his defensiveness. "I like to keep to myself…and I'm new, so I don't really know anyone besides my sister who is also starting with me."

"You're a new academy student but you look the same age as me? Your years behind, how come your starting so late? Oh, you said your sister's entering this late too?!" He asked not taking a breath between sentence's, but I just smiled and giggled at him, how could I not, the boy was like a walking ball of sunshine.

I nodded before pointing towards Sakura who was making her way towards us.

"Nee-chan, I'm finished!" She said as greeting before placing a flower crown on my head before turning to face the blonde.

"Hi, I'm Sakura Haruno." She greeted him with a smile and a slight bow. I stood from my position on the swing switching to straddling the seat instead and making me intrude more into Naruto's personal space. Sakura immediately sat behind me filling the open space, stretching herself across my back and tucking her head on my shoulder gazing at Naruto with curiosity.

"H-hi, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto sputtered as he looked between us his face growing pink at our close proximity.

Sakura tilted her head towards me, I didn't even blink when her lips brushed against my cheek. "Nee-chan, is Naruto-san going to be our first best friend we've made at school?"

"N-nani, you want to be best friends with me? B-both of you?" Stuttered Naruto in confusion and Sakura chuckled.

"Nee-chan is really good at picking out good people, so if Nee-chan approves than so do I." Sakura said honestly "Though I'm kinda surprised, your kinda loud...in every way..."

I nearly choked as Sakura's eyes raked slowly over his form to prove her point. He was covered in head to toe in the monstrous orange jumpsuit, he was literally dressed as a walking target.

"-and Nee-chan doesn't really like loud people but she does like pranksters and you're both…least from what we've heard...but I'm sure we'll get on just fine..." Sakura finished flashing him a confident smile.

Naruto looked utterly confused and I decided to step in. "Ne Naruto-kun…" Que more blushing at the prefix. "What is your dream?"

He straightened himself as he stood from swing, Sakura noting his obvious change stood as well, her feet subtly parting, preparing herself for a fight if it came to it. I didn't bother knowing Naruto wasn't going to just attack the first two people his age that bothered showing him any kind of positive attention, but I did return to sitting on the swing in a proper lady like manner since Sakura was choosing to stand.

"My dream? …. I'm gonna be the next Hokage, that way people can stop disrespecting me! Dattebayo!" and I noted he spoke quietly...but with such conviction...

I stared at him until it made him uncomfortable before I smiled and foregoing my lady like manners and launched myself on him making his face fully flush as I quite literally wrapped myself around him and giving in to my inner fangirl.

How anyone could hate this beautiful hearted boy is just unbelievable.

"I do...I do believe it Naruto-kun! You'll make a great Hokage!" I cooed rubbing my cheek against his because what the hell I was already invading his personal bubble might as well get some cuddles in too.

Sakura not wanting to be left out hugged him also and I only pulled back when I thought that the boy might go into cardiac arrest, though I didn't think it possible for an Uzumaki.

"Yay! Naruto-kun is our new friend now I can't wait to tell Chika-chan!" Sakura cheered before placing the flower crown on his head. "This flower crown is a sign of our friendship please don't take it off for the rest of the day."

I frowned when he immediately removed the crowned from his head.

"b-but I can't be seen wearing a flower crown…they are for girls…" He trailed off as he saw our less than pleased look. "…um right?"

Sakura sighed shaking her head and taking the crown into her own hands before handing it to me. "No Naruto-kun, anybody can like flowers not just girls, but more importantly it is the meaning behind the flowers."

"Meaning?" Naruto asked confused as he looked at the intricately tied flowers in my hands.

She nodded. "Yes, flowers you see beyond looking pretty or being used for poisons have languages all there own and when you group particular flowers together those that know the meaning can read see the message."

"The flower crown I made for you has Arborvitae for unchanging friendship, Aloe for protection, yellow tulips because of the sunshine in your smile, Violets for loyalty, white Clover, because we want you to think of us too all of it tied in ivy for endurance." Sakura explained pointing to each flower.

"That being said we want to be your friend Naruto and we want you to be ours. We want a friendship that will endure continuously. This isn't a fleeting interest Naruto and we aren't playing some joke on you, we mean what we say. We don't have many friends because making friends for us is well…a big deal. We are furiously loyal and we protect what's ours." I said seriously.

"Because we consider you our friend we won't stand to see you being mistreated." Sakura said making Naruto flush. "we also get pretty greedy so if you do make other friends please don't forget about us."

"If you're our friend you're our friend till the day you betray us but that's not the type of person you are, I can see it in your eyes. So what do you say, will you be our friend? Can we put our trust and loyalty in you can you do the same with us?"

I…Naruto trailed off but didn't say a word more and Sakura looked dishearten, but I understood. Naruto was the village pariah, he was used to being hated being ignored being hurt all the time. He was used to distrusting people and being all by himself and that certainly wasn't going to change no matter how badly he or we wanted it too.

"Naruto…" Sakura asked reverting back to her shy persona at the fear of being rejected by him.

"I…I want to I really do but i…i…" He looked dejected. Fear…fear was stopping him from jumping head first into our welcoming arms. He didn't want to be hurt again…he was scared that we would hurt him and perhaps even a bit scared of having people at his side.

"Naruto its ok." I said giving him a smile. "It's ok, we asked to much of you at one time. That was my fault. I didn't mean to pressure you."

"Here." I said giving him the crown. "You don't have to wear it but please take it. we will still consider you our friend even if you do not. We won't give up on you, we will just wait for you instead."

Naruto looked close to tears at my words as I linked his arm in mine and did the same with sakura. "Let's just hang out together until lunch is over."

"W-who is Chika-chan?" Naruto asked as he shyly touched the flowers in his crown as he sat with us as we made two flower bracelets that matched his crown.

"Chika-chan is the first kid our age that became our friend, we would meet at the library and learn all kinds of new things, Chika-chan's really nice and her obaa-san is really nice too. Oh Chika-chan actually goes to the academy as well. Do you know her? Perhaps she can also join us for lunch…" Sakura asked him.

Naruto shook his head looking rather embarrassed. "No, you guys are actually the first peoples to approach me of or age group. The other kids don't like me very much…"

"Oh, then the others are stupid." Sakura said bluntly making me chuckle.

"e-eh" Naruto sputtered.

"If they never talked to you how can they know that they don't like you, they don't even know you? we talked to you and your really nice, ya know?" She pointed out as Naruto stared at her with wide eyes.

"Don't worry about them Naruto-kun, I'm sure they will come around. And if not you'll still have us." I told him throwing my arm around his shoulder.

Naruto was an adorable blushing mess as he whispered out "O-Ok."

The world was almost just too cruel, just as the three of us mainly Naruto because Sakura and I had fun all the time started to relax and smile like every other child our lunch period had ended.

Naruto gave us the most saddened kicked puppy look and I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Don't look sad Naruto-kun, you might see us sooner than you think."

With that he went back to class and a ninja appeared before us to escort us to our new class.

We paused outside the door that I knew to be Iruka's classroom before the door was opened and we stepped inside.

Sakura and I smiled in greeting as we still wore our flower crowns and bracelets looking the picture of innocence even as our eyes darted around the room taking note of all the faces.

I turned my attention to Iruka who smiled at us before telling the class that we would be the newest additions before asking us to introduce ourselves.

"My name is Renge Haruno-" I said.

"And my name is Sakura Haruno-" Sakura said.

"Please take care of us!" We said simultaneously.

Iruka-sensei told us that we could sit anywhere and so without question I turned and began making my way towards Naruto with Sakura on my heels.

Naruto soaked up our smiles like a sponge as we sat on either side of him.

"Renge-san! Sakura-san!" He said excitedly.

"We meet again Naruto-kun." Sakura said with a chuckle.

After the initial shock of two aspiring new students choosing to sit next to Naruto the dead last, class continued.

I was surprised when I didn't fall asleep as class droned on. Apparently ninja classes were much like college classes where there were hours of lecture and then lab or in their case practical and dear Kami were Iruka's lectures going on forever…

I looked at Sakura who seemed more content to pass notes to Naruto than pay attention to whatever drivel was falling out of Iruka's mouth.

How funny, all it took was a Bennett being reincarnated into the Haruno family for Sakura to be this chill towards Naruto. Canon Sakura would have shaved her pink hair off before willingly talking to Naruto much less disregarding what her sensei was saying and now...

My lip twitched as I watched Sakura snort in a very unlady like fashion before coughing when she drew Iruka's gaze.

Iruka smiled at her before continuing to drone on and on about charka theory.

I slumped low in my seat before letting my eyes wonder around the room to search out the rest of rookie nine and anyone else that might have been interesting.

Kiba slumped in his desk with his little white dog Akamaru in his jacket, my eyes widened when Akamaru turned his little fuzzy head towards me his eyes that usually remained closed for all that I had known opened and I caught sight of glowing carmine colored orbs gazing at me with too much intelligence for me to brush off as coincidence.

Forgive me but I was completely floored, and here I thought it was only the Uchiha's that rocked the pretty hellish red eyes...

I only blinked when the pup looked away while also letting out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding. damn the dog was scary. Cute but fucking scary.

My eyes moved from Kiba and Akamaru towards Shino who for all intent's purposes damn near bleed into the shadows of the corner.

I frowned, I knew Shino didn't have any friends because not everyone was a fan of the creepy crawlies but damn all the spots around the kid were empty… hell, even Naruto had people sitting around him even if they didn't associate with him.

I made a note to begin associating with Shino. Perhaps not how I approached Naruto but approach him none the less.

Moving from Shino my eyes pointedly rolled over Hinata...not even going to waste my time there... and on to my fav rookie nine duo Chōji and Shikamaru.

I could feel my inner fangirl begin to coo as my eyes landed on my favorite Nara before moving to the Akimichi

My eyes moved between the two, Chōji was just such a damn adorable cinabun much like Naruto and as for the Nara…well us Bennett's have always had a thing or two for, four things in a man: Intelligence, Power, A Lil Darkness and Loyalty...my mother and Bonnie my darling baby sister missed the gene of course with her less than desirable dating record but alas what can you do...

But any who Shikamaru had it. He was a genius, he was loyal to those that earned his loyalty, he was powerful and he might not have dabbled in dark magic but being a shadow wielding was pretty damn close... just the thought of him using his shadows on me was even to boil my blood.

It was just a shame he was completely underated...well not for long...

Unknowingly to me my eyes glinted as I turned away from the two boys a predatory smile inching its way onto my face that caught both Sakura's and Naruto's attention.

Sakura let out a low chuckle at the look on my face already used to it and having an idea of what I was thinking about. She hadn't missed how my eyes lingered on certain students longer than others…

"Um Sakura-san," Naruto said shyly as he looked between her and myself. "Why are you laughing is Renge-san ok?"

"Oh Naruto-kun you have much to learn about women." She said flashing him a predatory grin that mirrored my own "That is just the face nee-chan makes when she's smelt blood in the water and plotting something big."

His eyes widened as he too lowered his voice. "L-like a prank?"

"Even better...a game" She said her eyes twinkling with mischief before she turned towards the front to face Iruka.

I was so incredibly happy when we were dismissed for the day.

"Hey Renge-san, Sakura-san what ya gonna do now?" Naruto asked waiting for us as we packed up our things.

"Go to the library." We said simultaneously and Naruto's whole face scrunched up in distaste.

"The library yuck?!" Naruto even gave a shiver and I wondered if it was possible for someone to have an aversion to the library.

"Have you ever even been to the library?" Sakura questioned raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah!" Naruto huffed.

"Then you should know how awesome it is, we learn a lot from there you know? Perhaps you have time to join us." Sakura offered.

Naruto's lips looked like he sucked on a sour lemon at the thought of spending time in the library.

"Or perhaps you can catch us next time, we are going there only to pick up some new scrolls before we head home, Kaa-san would be displeased with us if we missed our lessons." I said and Sakura's eyes widened.

"Oh yes I almost forgot," She whimpered as a shiver wracked her body before she turned and started speed walking towards the library. "I have no interest in having to play one of Kaa-san's creative punishment games, we need to get our scrolls and head home quickly."

"You are still welcome to join us Naruto-kun, perhaps we'll see Chika-chan there and you'll be able to meet her...that is unless you have something else you need to do that I'm keeping you from?" I offered on a silver platter not even blinking at my manipulation.

"Yeah,yeah sure I can join you guys for a bit." He said evenly but I could see the loneliness in his eyes...

I smiled before surprising him when I grabbed his hand and began running after Sakura. "Great, come on!"

Neither Chika-chan nor baa-san was there in the library today, which had Sakura ranting up a storm by the time we caught up with her, but instead a shinobi guard and some lackluster substitute.

Ah but it was the guard who had ensnared my attentions...the guard that was familiar, too familiar...

My eyes wandered over to him more than I liked to admit as he leaned against the doorways casually sucking on a senbon as he flirted with the substitute.…

It was then, it hit me exactly who he was.

Genma fucking Shiranui.

Assassin, partnered with Raidō equally fucking scary Namiashi, a part of the 22 platoon the yondoime's bodyguard and playboy of Kohona.

I quickly looked away a blush on my cheeks when he caught me with those damn gorgeous light brown eyes, staring at him.

"-and that mean lady in the front was like 'well if you can't reach it than you can't have it' and I really wish baa-san was here, she would have gotten it for us no problem without trying to belittle us." Sakura huffed finishing her rant.

I blinked. "Ne Saku-chan, why the long face, yes if baa-chan was here she would have gotten it for us no questions asked but we are not incapable..."

She pouted. "Yeah but Tou and Kaa-san wouldn't like it if we were caught..."

My smile widened. "Well then there's your answer...we mustn't get caught."

A devious smile stretched across Sakura's lips matching my own. "Ahhh...I love you."

"I know," I said walking towards the entrance of the aisle to find Naruto, after all someone would need to play lookout.

"What do ya need me to do?" Naruto asked curiously.

"We just need you to let us know if that desk lady comes towards us." I said.

"Oh ok." Naruto said with a frown. "But why?"

"Because we are trying to get some books on the top shelf but she's being difficult, but we will show her…" Sakura muttered.

"How?" Naruto said tilting his head back to look up towards the top shelf. "It's is really high..."

"High places are of no real challenge to us, we just don't need anyone getting in our way." I said evenly.

"ok…" Naruto said.

"Great," I said before looking at Sakura whose eyes were on the books most being some advanced medical text but there was quite a few on advanced genjutsu theory and I couldn't help but smirk...my darling sister was growing up to be quite the terror.

I noted that on the opposite side there are quite a few scrolls on other shinobi nations customs, that could come in handy one day. I turned my back to her to look at the top self my eyes glimmering.

"On the count of three?" Sakura mused.

"Three." I said and we both jumped towards the bookshelf letting our chakra immediately stick to our feet as we began scaling the shelves to quickly grab the scrolls and books that we wanted.

I grabbed the desired scrolls before releasing the charka from my feet, flipping once before landing in a cat like position, it was only a second after that Sakura did the same.

"H-how did you guys do that?!" I blinked as I noticed Naruto watching us with his mouth hanging wide open in awe.

"If you were watching us did how were you watching our backs?" I countered with disappointment and Naruto flushed.

"Give me more credit Renge-san, I pull pranks all the time." Naruto puffed out his chest.

"Yeah, that you get caught for all the time." Sakura retorted making Naruto pout.

"The lady hasn't moved she's still talking to that guard."

Sakura let out a breath, but I wasn't convinced that we had made it out of the park. After all there was Genma who to remind you all was a fucking assassin and even if the lady was an idiot, he sure as hell wasn't.

"Naruto I would appreciate it if you would quite down when referring to our abilities as well as not telling anyone what you saw us do."

"What why not, it was awesome." He said confused by my rather not so impressed face.

"Pinky promise that you won't tell, look me in my eyes and promise." I said holding out my pinky finger and Naruto immediately took it.

When I stared at him he flushed as he stared at me "I promise you I won't tell anyone about your skills."

When he did, my magic reacted instantly and only then did a smile make its way back to my face, though I took note of Sakura giving me a side look and I had no doubt she had sensed my magic as well. Throughout our years I had debated telling Sakura about my witchy powers, though when she happened upon me spelling my room clean…the cat was clearly out of the bag.

Sakura had been sure that I had found a new way to manipulate charka and hadn't told her at first but I thought quickly fled her mind when I took her out to training ground 44 and showed her the true difference between magic and charka.

It was a day that neither of us would forget…especially considering that it was also the day that I found out my cute baby sister had the same ability within her as well, albeit she struggled with using it.

It should have surprised me…but it didn't, twins quite often shared magic in the womb, so yeah Sakura having magic didn't really phase me, but her being so interested in it did. Sakura's approach to magic was so unlike Bonnie's that it had me shook. She wanted to know everything there was to know, what she could and couldn't do and the how.

and after I got over my shock and reminded myself that although she reminded me painfully of Bonnie, that she was in fact NOT Bonnie, that Sakura was Sakura and gave her a wide grin and threw my arm over her shoulder and told her that magic was all around us…the beginning lessons in magic and intro to spells had begun.

'Later' I mouthed to her and she nodded.

"Say Renge-san why don't you want anyone to know how good you and Sakura-san are with your charka?" Naruto asked me curiously but it was Sakura who answered.

"Well firstly we are ninja in training Naruto-kun, and the best ninjas are the ones that no one knows about till it's too late. But also nee-chan and I want to be assassins, we can't very well be the best if people know about us, you know?" Sakura told him.

"Ah." He said slightly taken aback but her admission, yet I could see the comprehension in his eyes.

As we approached the women to check out our newest reading material I resisted the urge to lock eyes with Genma in an act that was pure animalistic dominance as I felt his gaze on me.

I steadily watched Naruto and Sakura chat, laughing, smiling and nodding my head when I was supposed to as so to seem as if I was entirely unaware of his unwavering gaze on the side of my face.

It was going well for me until the lady actually caught sight of Naruto, her face which wasn't exactly the prettiest but was ok, lost any of its attractiveness when a scowl made its way to her lips.

"What are you doing in here monster?" She hissed lowly as if she spoke in low tones that only Naruto would be able to hear her.

Naruto seemed to shrink into himself and I most certainly couldn't have that.

"Excuse me." I said equally venomous making Naruto and the woman flinch back as if struck. "But just who do you think you are addressing?"

"I-" The woman seemed to choke on her words as I let the air fill with killing intent.

"I would hope you are neither addressing neither my imōto or my precious nakama." I continued as I tilted my head up staring down at her even as she was several heads taller than myself. "That would be a heinous mistake on your behalf, if you were."

"Ano perhaps she was talking to herself, surely she knows how impolite it would be to address someone like that? What do you think Naruto-kun?" Sakura said brightly not at all affected by my murderous aura, I didn't know whether to be proud or offended.

"H-hai…i-it was just a mistake." Naruto stuttered, as his body trembled but because he wasn't the direct focus of my ire he was able to remain standing unlike the woman who looked like she was about to have a panic attack as she struggled to breathe, not that I cared.

"Was it a mistake?" I asked still staring at her making her shrink in on herself.

"H-hai, p-please forgive me." She gasped out.

I released the murderous intent just as fast as I brought it offering her an innocent smile. "Ah I see! then we accept your apologies and request that we be permitted to check out these text if you don't mind."

She quickly and quietly noted what we were borrowing before returning the text to us.

"Thank you!" Sakura and I beamed before we linked arms with Naruto and pulling him along with us.

I spared Genma a glance as he went towards the woman who was not crying and before turning away, completely missing how he stared after us interest gleaming in his eyes.

"Nani…Renge-san you were really scary back there, why did you do that?" Naruto whispered as we grew further away from the library.

I huffed. "Of course I was, she was being rude to you and she was rude to Sakura. I hate bullies and I hate people that mess with my Aisuruhito. If she wouldn't have apologized I would have shown her what a monster truly looks like."

"Naruto-kun have you forgotten what we said early already?" Sakura asked with a chuckle. "Even if you don't consider us your friend we still consider you ours and there's no way we will let anyone mistreat our friends you know?"

His eyes watered as he stared at us. "Y-you guys…"

"Keh…" I said flashing him a smile. "You are gonna be Hokage someday and with that you will need the best assassins as your bodyguards, we are just getting a head start is all so hurry and catch up Hokage-sama."

Naruto couldn't seem to take anymore of our sentimentality as he threw his arms around us. "Yeah, I'm gonna be Hokage and you to will be my personal guards and everyone will respect us, believe it!"

"Believe it!" Sakura and I cheered along with him

* * *

 ** **Sakura and R**** ** **enge meet N**** ** **aruto****

 **S** ** **akura is more calculating than she appears, as well as has magic of her own****

 **R** ** **enge has a thing for Nara's and shows a bit of her wicked side****

 ** **G**** ** **enma is a hottie that I couldn't resist adding because he like many others are underrated characters that kinda just get swept under the rug****

* * *

 ** **EDITED:10.07.2018****


	5. To Make Bonds

**Thanks for the reviews!**

 ** **Please Enjoy!****

* * *

 _ ** _ **She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."**_**_

 _ ** _ **\- Third Hokage**_**_

* * *

"We're home!" Sakura and I said together, announcing our presence to our mother and surprisingly our father who also happened to be home.

When had offered to walk Naruto home until he shyly reminded us that we had to get home.

Sakura shivered muttering fearfully about punishment games before throwing over a 'See ya tomorrow!' before grabbing my wrist and running like the devil himself was at her heels.

"Okaeri nasai my flowers, come and sit with us!" Tou-san said and Sakura and I wasted no time sitting seiza before our parents.

Kaa-san gestured towards the tea and snacks and Sakura and I both grabbed our tea, Sakura grabbing some rice crackers while I grabbed the dango that beckoned me to devour it.

"So...how was your first day?" Kaa-san asked after we both had taken our first sips of tea.

"Tedious." Sakura said with a sigh and I nodded agreeing with her.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei seems nice enough, but his lectures leave something to be desired."

Kaa-san and Tou-san nodded as if they were expecting as much.

"Well you two are in a class your own when it comes to learning, and you frequent the library so much that it does not surprise me that you find the academy criteria lackluster, but bear with it." Our Mother said, she wasn't asking, it was an order.

We straightened our backs even more that they already were. "Yes Kaa-san."

"Did you make any interesting friends today?" Tou-san asked curiously.

"Well there is one that we are working on." Sakura said slowly.

"Oh, do tell?"

"His name is Uzumaki, Naruto." She said bluntly.

I noticed my parents give each other a side look as Sakura explained how befriending Naruto came to be.

"Interesting first choice Ren-chan, but might I ask why? I hear the boy has the worst reputation? How do you justify your actions." Kaa-san wasn't mad, in fact her eyes seemed to glimmer with an unfamiliar glint that made me slightly uncomfortable.

"He was alone, much easier to approach than any of the other students, and when we did talk to him despite not verbally returning our friendship he latched onto us like a Suna nin finding water for the first time in weeks." I said bluntly, speaking as if I was giving a report…and perhaps I was.

"Hmmm, good strategy, any others you meet today?"

I shook my head. "I was hoping that we would come across Chika-chan when we went to the library today but we didn't."

"Ah be sure to invite her and her guardian for tea next time you see her ya?"

"Of course."

"What did you pick up from the library today?"

"More medical text, but Kaa-san, Tou-san I was wondering if we could actually start the art of mithridatism?" Sakura asked, and I nodded in approval. Our mother had been proactive on teaching us all about the different poisons she knew of, and how to make and counteract them but never approached us with the process of us actually taking the poisons.

Sakura and I had been beginning to wonder if this was a test on her part to see if we would seek help or if we would risk doing it ourselves.

Sakura and I were both pretty floored when Kaa-san burst into a fit of maniacal laughter.

We stared at her before slowly looking at Tou-san when it didn't seem like she was going to stop anytime soon. Tou-san who only sighed shaking his head with a small grimace. "For you to learn mithridatism is unnecessary."

I frowned, and Sakura scowled. "But it would be a wonderful asset to add to our skill so why not?"

"It would be pretty pointless for either of you to learn mithridatism, because I have already been poisoning you since before either of you were born." Kaa-san said flashing us a disarming smile.

"W-what?" Sakura and I snapped narrowing our eyes on her, and Tou-san merely sighed and shook his head.

"Your mother has quite the knack for them actually enough to rival even a Suna poison mistress." Tou-san said with a shrug.

"Kaa-san why do you have the skill to rival a suna nin if you're _just_ a civilian?" I asked her.

"That's classified Ren-chan..." Tou-san said but I wasn't watching him.

Kaa-san looked at me her eyes filled with that mysterious glint again that had me narrowing my eyes in return as she dainty lifted her tea taking a sip before speaking. "Oh Ren-chan, civilians are allowed to have hobbies, and besides pretty girls must always have a way to remain safe right?"

"Are civilians from Kiri so different civilians from Konoha?" I asked the disbelief ringing clear in my tone.

She merely smiled before taking another sip of her tea, when she looked at me again that sharp glint was back, her red painted lips sharkish. "How many times must I tell you my little man eating lotus, have you forgotten our family dictum already?"

I resisted the urge to shiver under her hardening stare. "No Kaa-san."

"Watashitachi igai no daremoga tekidesu. Jakuniku kyōshoku." Kaa-san said coldly releasing her killing intent, though her smile still remained on her face. "Say it, both of you."

"Watashitachi igai no daremoga tekidesu. Jakuniku kyōshoku." Sakura and I repeated.

She nodded pulling back her killing intent and Sakura and I let out a breath we didn't know we were holding. "Remember it well, it is how we survive, it is how we've continued to survive even when other clans stronger clans have fallen, it is our way. Jakuniku kyōshoku we are always the predator never the prey."

She held out another tray to us. "Cookie?"

"You know...come to think of it, it was actually how your mother and I met. She found the situation rather amusing watching me go into cardiac arrest, ah but she told me such a handsome face and it would be such a pity for me to leave this world…come to think of it she poisoned me on all our dates too." Tou-san continued with a soft reminiscent chuckle as Sakura and I stilled our bodies reaction to our mother and grabbed a cookie, it after all wouldn't do to show any more weakness, neither Tou-san or Kaa-san enjoyed weakness.

"S-she poisoned you that much and you still married her?" Sakura said her voice growing in pitch, and for good reason. Our parents were revealing their madness to us, and she was undoubtedly afraid that we might catch it. I mean seriously, I've done quite a bit of wicked things to men...but poisoning someone that I liked that was on a whole new level... Though I'm sure if I thought hard about it enough, I could remember my grams telling me our Bennett ancestor's that had a knack for poisoning their lovers...

Hmm...perhaps she was on to something...

Tou-san smirked. "The heart wants what it wants…you'll understand our love when you're older."

Sakura and I shared and unsure look. "Right…."

"Oi oi, if he couldn't handle a tiny bit of poison than he was not the man for me." Kaa-san said with a huff. "You two should take notes, there will be plenty of boys that will start sniffing at your heels."

"And I'll kill them all." Tou-san said his happy demeanor disappearing at the thought, but Kaa-san ignored him and continued speaking.

"Poisoning them will be the only way to know for sure if they are the perfect match for you, much less strong enough to sire children with." She said matter of factly.

"And if they die?" Sakura said taken aback. "How would we explain that?"

"If you get caught?" Kaa-san shrugged flashing another one of her sharkish grins. "jakuniku kyōshoku darling, jakuniku kyōshoku."

Sakura and I both stared at them. It was official our parents were bat shit crazy.

"Now that that is settled let's move on to your training?" Tou-san said with a smile though he remained seated.

"What are we learning today?" Sakura asked nervously as our parents continued to smile eerily at us.

At her question both of their smiles widened simultaneously before they both replied.

"Resistance to pain and interrogation."

"And" Our mother's smile widened. "Healing… _if_ you can manage."

I felt my mouth go dry as my body let out an involuntary shudder and Sakura let out a whimper at the pain that was sure to come. I could only hope we wouldn't be in too much pain to be able to participate in class tomorrow.

I was wrong of course.

Sakura and I were struggling with managing our breathing just to make it to class. We burst through the doors at the last minute, drawing the entire classes eyes to us.

"Iruka-sensei isn't here…we made it." She panted a slight hysterical giggle bubbling from her chest as she held tightly to me.

I nodded "Thank kami we are best friends with a prankster."

We ignored the stares that were trained on our bodies as we limped to our seats.

Our parents did not take it easy on us. We couldn't run fast enough before they had caught us and began our…training.

Because it was Sakura that held a greater interest in iryō jutsu, she had been given the task of playing healer to me first as Kaa-san had a field day with inflicting as much pain of me as she thought my body could take as Tou-san conducted interrogation.

They had strapped me to a chair which wouldn't have been too bad if father hadn't slipped two thin black cuff like bracelets over my wrist.

They applauded me for not immediately panicking upon the fact that they had cut off my access to my charka. They explained that if I was ever captured by enemy nin that would be the first thing that they would do to make sure that I couldn't escape.

The only true reason why I probably wasn't as freaked out as I should have been was because I was a witch and had my magic as well as this was sooo not my first time undergoing something like this.

Sakura on the other hand, didn't take this as well as I was.

I looked over at her as we collapsed in our seats to wait for Naruto and Iruka-sensei, she was still clutching my arm tightly and I knew she would be sticking to my side like this until this training too became normal to her.

I think Sakura had the worst part, listening to our parents taunt her when she tried to heal some of my greater wounds but couldn't. I didn't blame her, I couldn't, I mean, the fact that she was able to heal some of my shallow cuts was admirable enough especially with our parents taunting her and doing their own slightly less intense version of pain and interrogation on her. She didn't get the extremes that I did, she was after all supposed to practice healing me.

In the end as our parents carried us to our bedroom, they were relatively impressed with our ability to resist giving up information and being able to work under pressure…but that didn't mean they healed us up…on the contrary they warned that if we were late to school there would be a punishment game awaiting us when we got home.

Sakura and I despite our pain, I don't think ever moved so fast.

"Ne Saku-chan I have enough bruises I don't need you adding to them with your monster strength." I chuckled softly drawing her eyes.

"Sorry." She muttered as released her tight grip on my arm. "I didn't even realize."

"I know, it's ok I'm not mad."

"Do you think that we will have more of that training tonight?" She whispered as she looked over my visual bruises.

"I don't think so, maybe next week, we need time to heal you know?"

Her eyes dimmed as she looked away from me and I frowned. "This is my fault, if I was stronger and a better healer."

"Don't." I said sharply making her look at me. "You know as well as I do that our parents are just eccentric. Don't feel bad for not meeting the expectations of their insanity on the first night."

She held my gaze seeing how serious I was, that I wasn't mad at her for not being able to heal me before she sighed releasing a chuckle as she laid her head on my shoulder. "On the first night huh? Right, because well reach their level eventually…"

"Are you kidding, I'm planning to surpass them…as soon as they reveled themselves it was already over for them." I huffed.

"And because I refuse to leave your side, I suppose I'm stuck on this crazy boat too..." She said with a sigh though I could hear the mirth in her tone.

"Just ride the crazy wave Saku-chan, you can scream too if you want, its half the fun." I said beaming even as she rolled her eyes looking towards the ceiling with a pleading look.

"Kami, why have I been cursed with such a sister?"

My grin widened. "Just lucky I guess~"

We effectively ignored the whisperers about our strange appearance and our late addition to the class…that was fine…We ignored the harsh and cruel words thrown at us because of Naruto, who then desperately tried to ditch us when he noticed us getting bullied but of course we wouldn't let him.

"It would just be better for everyone involved if you apologize right now." Sakura said softly being the voice of reason between the two of us. "Just apologize and she'll let you go."

The boy that didn't do anything to Naruto except which as his friend beat on him quickly apologized to Naruto and I leased him withdrawing my charka from him without batting an eye lash while Sakura yelled for him to get better friends, but no my eyes were trained on their leader who was attempting to stare me down.

Ha, what an ignorant fool.

"I refuse to listen to some freaky pink haired b-" He let out a yelp as I threw one of the rocks laced with charka towards him, it raced past him slicing his cheek before landing hitting the tree behind it leaving a circle crater.

"Ah ah ah." I tutted wagging my finger in front of him like one would do a bad dog. "I most certainly would not finish that sentence if I were you."

"You don't wanna end up looking like that tree do you?" I said as I mimicked my mother's grin gesturing to the tree that was leaking sap, the visual his mind suppled making him pale.

His two cronies looked ready to piss themselves when I released them as they cried their apologies.

"And then there was one~" I cooed. "Ne I'm almost out of rocks…but that's fine, I have two whole pouches full of senbon."

"Ano, didn't you poison some of those?" Sakura mused out loud.

I blinked. "Your right Saku-chan…though I've forgotten which is which…hmm perhaps you'll be willing to play a game of risk?" I said turned my eyes on the boy who was shaking in fear

"I'm sorry." The boy spat and I released his charka from my control so quickly that he fell on his ass.

I walked to Naruto making him flush as I wiped his bloodied nose my sleeve before helping him stand as Sakura walked towards the boy and squatting next to him.

"If we ever catch you or any of your idiot friends messing with Naruto-kun again, well string you up by your toes and use you for shuriken target practice." She said with a saccharine smile as she leaked a bit of her killing intent. "Understand?"

"Y-yes." He whimpered before scrambling to his feet and taking off.

"Naruto-kun are you ok?" She said as she dissipated her killing intent returning back to an aura of all sunshine and daisies.

Naruto looked between us in awe, he was getting used to our killing intent it seemed. "Ah, yeah…you guys…thanks…"

"No problem!" We cheered before tackling him into a hug making him turn the deepest shades of red.

The days came and went, classes with Iruka were still incredibly boring but with Naruto and my stalking of my favorite characters, it was a bit better.

I was incredibly proud of our friendship with Naruto, he seemed to trust us completely now and had no reservations of seeking us out on his own.

Naruto despite what the manga and anime alluded, wasn't nearly as dumb as everyone thought he was, it was just the odds were stacked against him. He had shown us that much when he had started doing his homework with us considering Sakura and I was tied for the top Kunchioi already.

Though Naruto would never be a paper ninja like Sakura and I who devoured books and written knowledge like monsters did men, Naruto in his own way did soak up the lessons like a sponge especially when we gave him short simplified versions. He was able to answer all the questions on his own and with the right answer at that.

The odds, like I said were just stacked against him.

"Hey Renge-chan, where's Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he came across me meditating alone at one of the parks.

I pouted as I crossed my arms to stare at him. "What am I not enough for you?"

"Eh, no, its just you guys are always together so its just a bit odd seeing you not." He said quickly.

"Calm down Naruto-kun I'm just teasing. Saku-chan is training just like me." I said rolling my shoulders and my neck before standing to my feet.

"Oh, but how come you aren't training together?" He asked curiously.

I shrugged. "We actually training together predominantly, but sometimes we like to train apart from each other every now and then so when we spar we have something to surprise the other with."

"Ah, I see." He said watching me as I stretched my arms above my head before offering me his arm to lean on as I went to pull on my sandals.

"You guys are really strong." He mused as an afterthought.

I shrugged before looking at him over. "Your strong too you know."

He flushed. "But I'm not as good as you or Sakura-chan."

I frowned. "You don't need to be, you have no reason to compete with us, you're gonna be Hokage someday, we need to be strong enough to protect you."

Naruto nodded but I could tell he wasn't fully on board with having his two best friends who were female at that being the ones to protect him…at least not all the time. I resisted rolling my eyes due to his sexist outlook, it was that time frame after all.

"Well, I'm done mediating now, do you want to spar?" I offered knowing how much Naruto liked to fight with Sasuke.

His eyes widened. "Um…what, right now?"

"Sure, unless you don't want too?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"No I…" He sputtered looking around. "But Renge-chan you wanna do it here? In public?"

I smirked as I leaned into his face. "Naruto-kun you make it sound like we're doing something rather naughty when you say it like that…"

His face flushed at my words and proximity. "No its just-"

"Its fine, we can go someplace less populated, come on." I said with a chuckle as I grabbed his hand.

I stopped in a training ground that was unoccupied and turned to him. "Is this better? We're alone here so we don't have to worry about anyone interrupting us. You have me all to yourself."

"Yeah." He said his face still red.

"Do you wanna stretch first?" I asked and Naruto nodded before beginning his stretching though I sighed and walked towards him shaking my head.

"Here let me help you." I offered before proceeding to help him stretch correctly. He let out a soft sigh as he got deeper into the stretch.

"See doesn't that feel much better?" I cooed, and he nodded before standing and taking his place across from me.

I took my stance and nodded towards him, waiting for him to attack. Naruto only hesitated a second before coming at me.

Our spar was rather anticlimactic, I beat Naruto as easily. It wasn't that Naruto didn't have strength because he did, and the fact that he was a Uzumaki and the kyubbi container I knew his stamina was off the charts, Naruto's downfall was the fact that he had no form…at all.

He didn't have a clan fighting style to use and it seemed he didn't follow the academy fighting style at all…no doubt because he didn't know it. His punches were sloppy, and uncoordinated, but with training he would be something frightful.

I ended the match by swiping his feet from under him.

"Hey, you know what, you should train with Saku-chan and I." I said to him as I watched him stretch out his body like a cat.

He looked up at me from his position on the ground and I resisted the urge to tackle him, Naruto looking up at me with his fucking moe eyes and flushed skin, looked sooo inviting-

I blinked away those thoughts. Now was not the time for that.

"Really? I mean you don't think Sakura-chan would mind?" He asked unsure. "You guys have a working routine, already right? I don't wanna mess that up."

"That I would mind what Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked as she walked onto the training grounds though I blinked surprised when I noted that she wasn't alone.

I resisted the urge to smirk at the cleverness that was my baby sister as none utter than Rock Lee trailed behind her. "Naruto-kun's going to start joining our training and spars."

"Oh, that's great, the more the deadlier but always merrier ne?"

"See…" I beamed at Naruto who chuckled back.

"Now imōto, who do we have here?" I asked though I already knew.

"Ah, nee-chan this is Rock, Lee, he goes to the academy but he's a year above us. He came across me practicing my taijutsu and gave me some pointers. I wanted to ask if it's alright if he too could join our practices and spars?" Sakura said questioning, looking at me for approval.

I cocked my head looking at him, from what I knew of his character, Lee didn't have many or really any friends because he was a foreigner and hadn't the ability to use charka. This was pre-Guy Lee, the one who had yet to cut off his hair or donned the monstrous green spandex jumpsuit.

I stared at him long enough to make him fidget before flashing him a blinding smile and making him gasp as I weaved a small genjutsu behind me of a blinding glittering sun to compliment my smile.

"Of course, Saku-chan, let's all get along and get stronger together!"

Sakura smiled at him too and lee seemed so overwhelmed that I canceled the genjutsu. "Hi, my name is Haruno, Renge. It's a pleasure to meet you Rock-san."

"Please call me Lee." he said with a wide smile.

I nodded. "Lee-san then."

"I'm Uzumaki, Naruto." The blonde said in introduction as he came and stand beside me. "And I'm gonna be Hokage."

Lee blinked not expecting that. "Really?"

"Yeah, that's Naruto-kun dream and were gonna help him." Sakura told him.

"Believe it." I said flashing another grin and from the corner of my eyes I watched Naruto flush at me using his verbal tic.

Lee, nodded before declaring proudly. "I going to a famous ninja who uses only taijutsu."

My grin widened. "Quite ambitious, I like it."

"No more ambitious than us wanting to be Kohana's best assassination pair." Sakura said with a chuckle making Lee choke.

"A-assassins? You two?"

She grinned. "But of course, our Hokage is going to need the best to guard him, right?"

She looked towards Naruto who grinned. "Exactly."

Lee nodded but was still in shock so I decided that we had enough dilly dallying. "Alright, so how do we want to pair up?"

Since Sakura had been sparring with lee already it was decided that she and Naruto would be the pair to spar together while I spared with lee. We were only practing taijutsu, so I was really curious on how I would fair against him…I was after all not often that one went against a legend.

I won, though just barely. When Lee hit…sweet-fucking-Jashin, he hit _hard_.

I stared at Lee and Naruto who were both competing to see who could do the most pushups as Sakura healed the bruises that she could after I told her to heal Lee first. Lee fighting style was much more structured than Naruto, and he had an unyielding determination just like Naruto as well, and as amazing as that was…

It was freakishly frightening.

Just imagine if Lee had even a drop of Uzumaki blood in his veins-

"The first one to pass out from exhaustion loses." Lee shouted at Naruto.

"Oh yeah, well it won't be me!" Naruto shouted back, before the two began to do crunches.

"Oh Jashin damnit," I whispered. _Just what the hell was I thinking approving such a match!_

"If Naruto-kun keeps this up, he'll get really strong really fast huh nee-chan." Sakura mused. "He has alot of charka to work with, all he just needs its training and encouragement."

I blinked. "Yeah, he will go far and i truely believe he will become Hokage. As long as he trains has encouragement and he maintains a healthy diet and gives his body time to rest he will grow into his power relatively quickly I like to think."

Sakura pursed her lips. "I suppose that means as his friends and future bodyguards we should make sure that he eats more than ramen then huh?"

"Absolutely, because while ramen is delicious…too much salt can have bad effects on the body…now that you mention it we should probably ask Naruto what else he eats." I mused.

"Nee-chan I think it's clear he's only eating ramen all day everyday. The smell of salted pork leaks from his sweat when we spar." She said, and I decided to save that little comment for later, I wouldn't be doing a good job of being a big sister is I didn't tease her every now and then.

"Naruto-kun!" I called to him and his head snapped towards me before he bounced…yes bounced over. Honestly the guy just had wayyy to much energy.

"Yeah Renge-chan?"

"We're coming over to your house today." I told him.

His face flushed. "W-what?"

"Nee-chan," Sakura said shaking her head. "You're supposed to ask for the things you want."

"Right," I said evenly even as I continued to stare at Naruto. "Naruto we're coming over to your house, so you better be a gentleman and invite us."

"I uh…do you guys wanna come over to my place?" Naruto asked his face still flushed.

I beamed. "Naruto-kun I thought you'd never ask, please lead the way."

The four of us parted ways, Lee saying that he had to get home as to not make his Kaa-san worry but not before saying that he looked forward to our next sparing session which would be in two days because of our schedules.

I smiled telling him that we all were looking forward till our next meeting.

"Naruto-kun why so fast?" I asked as we speed through the streets. "You ashamed to be seen with us of something?"

Naruto stopped abruptly giving me a sharp look. "Never."

I blinked. "Then why?"

"It's just, where I live…it can be dangerous later in the day…"

"If its so dangerous then why do you live there?" Sakura asked.

"Because it's the only place that I can live." He said softly and before we could say anything else he was taking off again.

The apartment complex wasn't so bad as it was quiet…and it was eerily so…

"Um Naruto is this place haunted or something? Not that ghost or spirits are a bad thing per say just curious." I asked him as I looked about.

"No, not that I know of at least…Why would you say that?"

"Cause your like the only person on this floor…hell this side of the building in general" Sakura answered for me.

Naruto just sighed. "No one wants to live near me that's why."

"Why not? Is it because of your love of ramen or is it because you wear that death attracting orange jumpsuit?" Sakura asked raising an eyebrow.

He narrowed his blue eyes at her. "Firstly, ramen is life. To speak anything otherwise is blasphemy."

"I think the saying goes dango is life…" I said sagely.

He ignored me to continue. "Secondly orange is the best color."

"Meh." Sakura and I shrugged.

"And thirdly…" He let out a heavy sigh before running a hair through his hair. "I honestly don't know why everyone hates me, but they've just always have, so it doesn't surprise me that no one wants to live by me…"

"But it still hurts." Sakura said, not asked.

"Yeah…it still hurts…" He said just as somberly as he shoved his key into his apartment door before abruptly opening and closing it a blush covering his cheeks as he turned and looked at us. "On second thought my place is a huge mess maybe next time?"

"If you think we're gonna judge you because of how messy your place is…you are right, so just except our judgmental stares and moaning and get over it." I said leaning into his personal bubble as my hand snaked around his own to open the door.

"But but but-" Naruto sputtered but we both ignored him.

"It's not even as bad as you think it is." Sakura said as we walked in. "Could definitely use some cleaning ups but yeah not bad."

My lip twitched at the sight of his frog boxers hanging off the edge of the couch but as much as I wanted to comment I didn't. though the heated look he gave me as he flashed over snatching them and throwing them into a hallway closet was enough to show he got my message all the same.

I instead walked into his kitchen that didn't even look like it was being used besides to boil water.

I ignored the multiple cups of ramen that littered the floors as I opened the fridge to let out a shriek of displeasure. "What the Jashin fuck is this?"

"Nee-chan don't curse so openly in front of Naruto-kun, he's not used to it you'll break him." Sakura said with a sigh before turning to Naruto as she got a good look at what made me lose my cool. "Though she has a point Naruto-kun, why is there more mold in your fridge than outside on the trees?"

"I um…to take it out…I was gonna do it yesterday I swear, I just forgot." He said chuckling nervously even as he continued to shove his clothing into his side closet.

"This milk has been expired for weeks…weeks, these eggs the same at this pointed to starting to evolve into something entirely on its own?!" I growled before slamming the door shut.

"This kind of living is completely inexcusable for the my future Hokage." I said startling him as I appeared by his side leaning into his personal bubble. "I won't allow you to continue to live this way, like some- some savage animal or something!"

Naruto sputtered as I grabbed his arm in my own and walked out of his home Sakura falling after locking up the place though I doubted anyone would willingly approach Naruto's home.

"Where are you taking me Renge-chan?"

"Home."

"Home? But-"

"Our home." I said, and I felt him immediately stiffen.

"But-"

"This is not up for debate Naruto-kun, besides we were invited to your home so now you must come to ours." I said and smirked when Sakura linked his other arm through her own.

"But-" He continued to sputter as we quite literally carried him along, the three of us streaks of colors as we took the fastest route to the Haruno residence.

"Do not worry about our parents. As long as you can withstand us you should be able to theoretically withstand them."

Sakura's words didn't exactly placate the blonde but ah it was too late, sooner than Naruto had expected we had stopped.

His eyes widened at the site of our home. While it was not as elaborate as any of the shinobi clan home our house was nothing to slouch at either. A stretched out two story building with a spacious front and backyard making it easily one of the more distinguished houses in the civilian sector even if it was located at more of a distance than the others.

"We're home!" I said.

"And we've brought a guest…so please Kaa-san don't poison the tea this time!" Sakura added as an afterthought. Naruto wisely didn't comment on this.

Sakura and I toed off our sandals before looking at Naruto who was looking at the door in contemplation.

"If you run, we will capture you, hog tie you and bring you back." Sakura said with a saccharine smile that made Naruto shudder and edge towards me.

I crossed my arms giving him a pointed look and he immediately folded with a sigh. He toed off his shoes before following us deeper into the house.

"Huh, I wonder where Kaa-san and Tou-san went." Sakura said as we walked into the kitchen. She washed her hands before pulling out some of the leftover rice balls that we had from the day before. "They didn't say they would be going off anywhere did they?"

I frowned as Naruto finished washing his hands. "No not that I can remember but left me check, you know how they enjoy leaving obscure notes."

Sakura nodded before holding out the plate to Naruto who only hesitated for a moment before shoveling the balls of rice into his mouth when his stomach let out and animalistic growl.

I padded back into our greeting room to look for anything that would single the reason behind our parent's sudden departure.

My eyes widened before even I began to pale when I find exactly what I was looking for.

I let out a small horrified shriek before I grabbed our shoes as the damn note as I tore back into the kitchen.

"Renge-chan?" Naruto asked immediately upon seeing my panicked expression. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head throwing Sakura's and Naruto's shoes their way. "No time, we need to grab all the weapons that we can and leave."

I grabbed Naruto by the arm pulling him upstairs to my room that Sakura and I shared despite her having her own, but stopped Sakura before she could enter. I pulled a kuni from my pocket twirling it twice on my finger before flinging it harmlessly into the room.

An invisible string must have been cut because a storm of sharp senbon flew from both sides of the walk.

I bent down picking up a senbon that was closest to us as Naruto started freaking out.

"Poisoned senbon…a gift from Kaa-san no doubt." I watched as another note chose that moment to fall from our ceiling. It said one word. 'improvise.'

"N-nee-chan…" She asked shakily as she stared at the chaos that was now our room "….is today really one of those days?"

I nodded solemnly handing her the note I found form our parents for her to read "…and it looks like the lesson for today is improvising, we will have to work with what we have."

"Jashin fuck, we forgot!" I didn't even bother mentioning to her out her own usage of the f-bomb, this was a matter well worth drop the expletive more than once in a day like today.

"How could we forget what today was?" Sakura said gripping her hair with both of her hand panic entering her eyes. "Jashin damnit, we're gonna die!"

"Um guys what's going on…what happened to your room…whose Jashin?" Naruto asked nervously.

"Our mother left this for us in warning." I said motioning towards our room.

"Jashin is the god that has decided that screwing us in everyway possible…for kicks." Sakura moaned.

"And-" My eyes widened as hands shot out pulling Naruto and Sakura with me when I sensed a fast approaching presence. " ** _Shit!_** "

I had moved them both just in time to avoid being smashed.

"Okaeri nasai flowers, and Ren-chan watch your mouth." Kaa-san said with a bright smile as she hefted her weapon of choice out of the floor. That weapon that had to be some kind of crack mating ceremony between a giant war hammer and a Shinigami's death scythe gone wrong.

"Did you receive Kaa-san and Tou-san's letter?" She asked as she twirled the weapon that was twice the size of her own body with ease before blinking when her eyes landed on Naruto. "Oh what is this…a guest…"

"Yes, Kaa-san this is-" Sakura yelped before grabbing Naruto and using charka to run across the walls as where we had just stood was showered with poison senbon and shuriken.

"What's this I hear about a guest?" Tou-san said making his entrance as he landed next to Kaa-san.

"Looks like the girls have finally brought a friend to include in on all the fun." Kaa-san said as she finished looking over Naruto.

"What no Kaa-san, Tou-san please" I begged taking a step forward in an attempt to shield Naruto from their penetrating eyes. I didn't work, their eyes tracked him regardless.

"Yeah, Naruto-kun doesn't deserve your level of crazy yet, keep him out of it." Sakura pleaded.

The ignored us instead locking on to the blonde. Our parents offering him a benign smile that we both know as their child hid their rather malevolent intentions. "Wanna play in our lovely family version of ninja tag?"

"N-ninja tag? T-this is how your family plays ninja tag?" Naruto asked looking both scared out of his mind and excited as he stared at Kaa-san's weapon that had left a crater in the floor…not that she seemed to care.

The senbon and shuriken that dripped an interesting blue color...he watched as a drop of the blue liquid met with the floor and the wood hissed and began to melt.

So, they played ninja tag with monstrous weapons and some type of lethal and probably illegal acidic poison…interesting.

Naruto looked at the two adults his eyes beginning to glitter with excitement perhaps for all the wrong reasons because obviously these people were dangerous but damnit he had never met any other cooler adults… well, besides Jiji, but he didn't count cause he was Hokage so obviously he had to have been cool.

He was supposed to stay away from these kinds of people…and yet…

"Is this why you guys are such good ninja? You guys are my best friends and you didn't even tell me your parents were this cool!" He said pointing an accusing finger towards us before looking back towards our parents as we stared at him flabbergasted. "Hey Mr. and Misses Renge and Sakura-chan's parents can I really play too?"

"Of course! The more the deadlier but always merrier I always say." Tou-san said with a wide grin as he let out a rather dark chuckle.

"Yes, I'll play hard! Believe it!" Naruto cheered.

"No! No Tou-san Kaa-san he didn't mean it, he doesn't want to play!" Sakura screamed trying to cover Naruto's mouth, but it was too late.

"No take backs, we'll give you a ten minute head start that should be enough time to explain the rules but then…" My mother's eyes sharped. "We're coming for you~"

And with that our parents disappeared.

"Naruto…" I said grasping his shoulders and shaking him damn using honorifics. "You damn baka, you don't even know what you've done! Why did you volunteer yourself as tribute to this madness?!"

"Yeah Kaa-sans using Kuresentobara, this games over before its even started…" Sakura groaned.

Naruto merely grinned his eyes glittering. "Your parents are wicked cool and the first two adults to not push me away."

"Oh, because them asking you to partake in their death games of doom that they enforce their own precious children to partake in are so much better?" Sakura snarked.

Naruto continued like he didn't even hear her, he had been doing this a lot...he must have truly been getting used to us. "They didn't run away screaming and they didn't call me a monster, you guys are my friend's so I was going to meet your parents someday right? So, help me make a good impression tell me the rules of this game that you guys have already admitted defeat in. I mean since your sure were going to lose anyway the least we can do is give them a good fight right?"

I stared at him for a moment before sighing. "First thing first, our parents wouldn't run away from you they try to kill you instead if they really dint like you…though if they love you they still might try to kill you as a means to keep you safe...just…our parents have a couple screws lose…"

"Second, they are the real monsters, they know it and you will know it too after today…they would never call you one." Sakura said as she grabbed some senbon off the floor along with me.

"Third. There are only two rules." I looked him in the eyes. "Number one…whatever happens, you don't let them catch you."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You'll see…" Sakura said rather ominously.

"And the most important rule is rule number two… don't die."

Naruto blinked before raising his eyebrow and we shook our head.

"You'll see…" Was what we said before we handed him some senbon which he took after another moment's hesitance.

The game lasted an hour but in the end the result was the same. Sakura, Naruto and I lay panting covered in blood, cuts and bruises as the older Haruno's stood over us looking only slightly ruffled.

"I…think…my…arm is broken." Sakura wheezed.

Kaa-san laughed. "Nothing that you can't heal from. Become a better healer and broken bones won't be a problem for you."

The three of us were then lugged to our feet. I muttered a string of curses to Jashin when I literally watched the scratches as and minor cuts began to heal from Naruto.

I swear I felt the urge to punch him in his damn whiskered face for that blessed ability.

"Let's get washed up." I said as I steadied my breath before leading him back towards my room.

I didn't even blink at the fact that there was no longer senbon covering the inches of my room but Naruto did.

He pointed to my room that didn't look like it was impale by hundreds of senbon merely an hour ago. "What-"

"Don't bother asking questions, you won't get the answers to how they manage to do what they do, trust me, we've tried for years. My best guess is while they are hunting us like animals for sport they make clones to come and clean up their messes as well as make dinner and the like." Sakura said as she walked into the bathroom to wash up with her change of clothes in hand while I grabbed a couple of bags and began packing away some clothes, blankets and other item's I knew we would need in the future I was planning.

"Or worse, we happen to be fighting clones while they are actually here the entire time." I offered when Sakura walked out handing Naruto a face towel and non scented soap.

I handed him a pair of unisex black pants and one of my nightshirts, that were really just my dad's shirts that were too small on him.

Naruto blinked taking the items sparing us parting words as he walked into our bathroom. "You know…your parents are cool…but really scary."

Sakura and I shared a look as we heard the shower restart and whispered. "Welcome to our world."

"Maa that was very good for your first game, you played well Naruto-kun." Tou-san said with approval as he looked over the blonde who immediately glowed from the acknowledgement.

"Thank you, but I just did my best." Naruto said shyly scratching his whiskered cheek.

"You my little flowers could learn quite a bit from your friend with improvisation. He made traps out of unlikely material and fast too… while it is always great to have a plan or a back up plan, there will be times where you will have to think on your feet and act fast, you might not have the time to leisurely plot and create a handful of plans, I shall expect you to do better understand?" Tou-san said as we all sat at the dinner table eating the food Kaa-san had prepared.

"Hai Tou-san." We said instantaneously making Naruto do a double take at our synchronization.

"I shall also expect you see you more often." Kaa-san said looking over at Naruto.

"Me…really?" Naruto's eyes widened in shock.

She cocked her head to the side. "Well I'm surely not referring to my own daughters young man. I see them in my home enough."

Naruto flushed feeling a bit foolish before he looked at her curiously. "Um…but why?"

"Our little flowers world is ever so small, they could stand to let a rare few people like yourself inside…besides your training to be a shinobi aren't you?" Kaa-san asked Naruto as Sakura and I shared a look.

Kaa-san was the one that engrained into our minds…now she was telling Naruto that we should let him in…she was clearly scheming…again. She had the oddly hungry glint in her eyes as she stared at him similar to when we had first told her we approached him for friendship.

"Yes."

"No don't be so modest. Naruto-kun's not trying to be just another shinobi, Naruto-kun aims to be Hokage." Sakura said excitedly. "Nee-chan and I believe he will be able to achieve these goals, we plan to help him of course."

Naruto flinched as if waiting for the backlash from my parents…but it never came.

"Hokage huh…well then that settles it." Tou-san said with an even wider grin as Kaa-san nodded.

"Huh?"

"You will be joining Ren-chan and Saku-chan here for our little family ninja tag and training when you have the time. We will be sure to get you up to speed with the girls."

"Huh?"

Kaa-san eyed him slowly. "Come prepared in training clothing, dark colors and always eat something nice and hardy."

"…Huh?"

"Oh speaking of eating habits, Kaa-san Naruto doesn't have anything to eat besides ramen at his house…and speaking of its in utter ruin." Sakura ratted him out with a smile.

The dark aura that Kaa-san began to sprout had him turning to face her only to yelp practically jumping into my lap when she shoved a carving knife into the table in front of him.

"Unacceptable. You will be coming here for breakfast and dinner while you will also be provided with a box lunch as you undergo basic cooking, do I make myself clear?"

"y-yes ma'am…" Naruto yelped fearfully as his arms wrapped around me, as I merely looked up at the ceiling. _Why me?_

"Good." Kaa-san cooed her demon aura disappearing completely as sat back done before motioning towards the platter of food with the smile of a proper hostess. "That being taken care please enjoy this meal and feel free to take some home with you."

"Yes ma'am, thank you ma'am." Naruto said quickly and only slide out of my lap when he was sure that she was fully placated though the look he shot my baby sister was anything but pleasant.

Naruto looked ready to tackle Sakura to the ground, but she merely met his gaze.

"More onigiri Naruto-kun?" She asked with a saccharine smile even as her eyes said. _'You wanted in on this madness so badly, you got in buddy…'_

Naruto hissed a string of curses of Jashin under his breath that made me raise my eyebrow in amusement before flashing her an equally saccharine smile. "Yes, please Sakura-chan!"

His eyes promised hell to pay, hers glowed at his issued challenge, while mine glittered at what was surly the first of many dinners to come.

I watched as a smirk spread across my parent lips as they watched our interactions with hawk eyes.

My father's was predatory but scrutinizing and my mother's…well hers was possessive. Now that he was here, there was no way people like my parents would willing let someone like Naruto walk out of our lives so easily. I didn't know whether to be proud or worried.

Either way seems like Naruto truly was stuck with us after all.

* * *

 **Okaeri nasai - Welcome back, welcome home**

 **Tsbuski Haruno is from Kiri, if that wasn't obvious.**

 **Haruno clan motto that she makes the girl repeat: Watashitachi igai no daremoga tekidesu. Jakuniku kyōshoku - Everyone except us is an enemy. The weak are meat, the strong eat.**

 **Tsbuski is just a sadistic, loving mother who happens to have a poison kink, Botan is her pastel haired masosadistic husband from a mysterious clan who apparently defies death with as many times his wife has attempted to kill him over the years.**

 **Obviously, they deserve each other.**

 **Sakura meets Rock Lee while training and has the brilliant idea to introduce him to Renge and thus Naruto as well.**

 **Rock Lee and Naruto find rivals in each other which I found only fitting for what is in store considering future team dynamics.**

 **Naruto meets the parents and ends up with more than he bargained for, for better or worse…that poor boy has never truly been able to pick up on danger being right in front of his face. *sighs* oh well…**

 **Who should be their next victim- friend for the Kohona 9?**

 **The Tracking Trio:**

 **Shino? Kiba-Akamaru? Hinata?(who will only be picked up by Renge)**

 **Or**

 **The Capture Trio:**

 **Shikamaru? Ino?(who will only be picked up by Sakura) Chōji?**

 **Or maybe from the older group? Tenten? Or Neji?**

 **Or perhaps you have someone else in mind like Sai? or even Haku(again) Because when a Bennett witch is involved nothing is impossible only improbable.**

 **How many of you want duck-ass Sasuke to enter into their lives early or would you prefer later until after team seven shall be?**

* * *

 **EDITED:11.07.2018**


	6. To Make Bonds 2

**Thanks for the reviews!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."**_

 _ **\- Third Hokage**_

* * *

"Oi Naruto-kun, where are you going?" Saa-chan said rather loudly, though taking the words right out of my mouth.

"Home?" He said his eyes flickering to where our parent were and Sakura who now wore a devious smirk.

"At such a late hour?" She said with a tsk as she shook her head in mock disappointment. "Ne Naruto-kun don't you know how dangerous the village can be at night, we'll walk you home."

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto warned her but of course Sakura ignored him.

"Kaa-san we're gonna walk Naruto-kun home now while the moon is still out~" She shouted rather dramatically even I had to admit. Though her dramatics did serve a purpose...

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night?" Kaa-san said appearing before us in a flash, her eyes flickering towards the window. "It has gotten pretty late to be walking."

"I do not wish to impose." Naruto said gripping his sandals...preparing for yet another battle with Kaa-san that he was going to lose.

"Your not imposing at all." She said flashing him a blinding, fanged smile.

"I don't have any clothes…" He countered weakly.

"Not a problem, we have plenty as you are wearing right now, Ren-chan has a thing for sleeping in men's tee-shirts after all…" She recountered back to him. I stood next to Naruto because I was a good friend and wouldn't completely leave him to the vicious monster that was Kaa-san. My eyes flickering to Tou-san who seemed more than content to watch the one-sided verbal smack down.

"I… um.." Naruto sputtered weakly.

"Will it truly be problematic for you, are we holding you up from someone waiting for you back home?" Kaa-san asked rather crassly and the three of us flinched.

"…no…I don't." He said softly and that viciously possessive glint entered her eyes.

"Then it will surely be much better to stay here if just for the night, then tomorrow after breakfast you can go back to your home... though I'll still be expecting you for dinner Naruto-kun…" She didn't ask him.

"y-yes ma'am." Naruto said in defeat.

"Magnificent. The girls will show you to their room." And with that she walked away and pulling a bemused Tou-san with her.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "It will be much better to just conform to her wishes…least on things like this…trust me."

"Is she…your mom always this…intense?" Naruto said after a moment of contemplating what term he wanted to use without sounding offensive.

Sakura and I blinked. "Yes."

"Though you know...I think she's actually toning it down for your sake." At his shocked look Sakura chuckled. "Stick around long enough and she'll be giving death glares to anyone that so much breaths in your direction in a way she doesn't like."

"That's…kinda a scary thought." Naruto said after a contemplative moment.

"That's Kaa-san." We retorted.

"Yeah but…if she's this protective, how do you guys have any friends?" Naruto asked curiously.

"We have you." I said with a shrug. "While I wouldn't mind befriending a select few others...I don't have to. You are enough as far as I'm concerned."

Naruto's face flushed beet red and he didn't say another word even as we reached my room.

"I'll be back with your futon." Sakura said disappearing further down the hall as I turned to Naruto.

"So might as well say this now, Sakura and I normally share a futon." I said bluntly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Is it comfortable?"

"Well if it wasn't, we certainly would do it." I said with a chuckle. "Sleeping with another person makes me feel safe and I'm sure it's the same for Saa-chan..." Especially after the hell we went through learning genjustu...

"It is. But it also could be because we are just so used to breathing each other's air. Sharing the same womb and all that." She said as she carried Naruto's futon into my room before laying it next to the one we typically shared.

"True enough." I said helping her prepare the bed after giving Naruto yet another set of my spare clothes and motioning for him to change.

"You know it is also a good practice for future missions outside of kohana..." Sakura said absentmindedly as we both stretched out across the shared space.

Naruto nodded as he took note of the sleeping arrangements. His face began growing red. "Um..."

My lip twitched even as I shot him an innocent look. "Is something wrong?"

"I... j-just the futons are all…really close…" He said staring at the space we had left for him.

"Of course, it will before more comfortable if we all just sleep like this, or would you rather be separated from us?" Sakura asked curiously.

"I um…" Naruto sputtered and before he could come to a decision I stood and grabbed his hands before pulling him down with me.

"You just sleep in the middle, ok?" I said and he nodded.

"Ah…ok..."

Despite Naruto's reservations he was the first to fall victim to the sandman's summons...and I'm not talking about Gaara. Sakura and I chuckled as he let of soft snores, our parents had apparently tuckered him out.

Meh, but at least he was still alive.

We curled around his sides respectively, our hands reaching across his stomach to intertwine before we too fell to the summons of the sandman.

I heard a tiny whine from Sakura and immediate shifted closer to the body that was radiating warmth letting out a small growl myself when the body began fidgeting. "-chan, Sakura-chan please let me go, I have to pee."

"You better come back..." I said recognizing the disrupter of our beautiful sleep as Naruto.

"Huh?" He asked and I felt him shift his body towards me but I didn't open my eyes...I refused...I was determined to keep them closed as I responded. "To bed, you will come back to bed, its early too early and on a sunday too."

When I could literally feel the confusion rolling off him in waves I begrudging cracked my eyes open, my tone very much expressing my disappointment even as it took on a bossy edge. "Note this to yourself. No one is this house wakes up this early unless one of us is dying or the damn hokage himself is literally at the front door. You will pee, then you will rejoin us in the land of dreams."

"Ah, yes, of course I'll come back to bed Ren-chan." He said and it was still too dark for me to see his face but I swear that his body temperature spiked from where our skin touched.

"Hn..." I said before I could stop myself and by the gods what kinda of ominous foreshadowing was that if I was starting to speak Uchiha?

Sakura and I released our arms from his body as well as detangled our legs from his own.

Sakura had her head face down into her pillow her pink hair sticking up at odd ends while my own lavender stands lay scattered around me. My lip curled and my eyes narrowed to slits as the sun tried to send its damnable rays of sunshine into my window. I mentally cursed at my loss of shadows, I hated sleeping in a bright room.

Naruto as promised came back sliding in between us, and this time due to the light that revealed the reddening of his cheeks that clued me in to his embarrassment about having two girls proceed to wrap around him like some wild weeds, but he neither complained or shoved us off.

We fell back asleep before being awaken a second time by our parents.

"Saa-chan, Ren-chan, Naru-chan it's time to wake up~" My mother cooed and I opened my eyes. I tsked as I noticed that the sun was completely in the sky now.

"Oh my~ Ren-chan you know if Tou-chan found you three like this you would have given his poor heart an attack." She said her eyes glittering with mischievous.

"Kaa-san good morning," I said in answer before leaning oven Naruto and flicking Sakura's nose.

Her eyes snapped open flashing with ire at being woken up before noticing me and moaning before settling on pouting at my smiling face. "Nee-chan...whhhhhyyyyy?"

"Good morning, wake Naruto please." I said before standing, grabbing my clothes for today and disappearing into the bathroom.

"Wow Renege-chan your hair is really long, oh and good morning." Was the first thing Naruto said upon me exiting the bathroom and towel drying my hair.

I smiled. "And a real pain to deal with honestly, and good morning to you too Naruto-kun, sleep well?"

His face flushed "y-yeah."

"That's good to hear. I was pretty tired last night; playing our family version of ninja always manages to steal away our energy, so the next time you spend the night we need to pick a day that we're not play ninja, we have to do it correctly yeah?"

"I agree." Sakura said letting out a the last of her morning yawns as she handed Naruto a clean change of clothes as he stood in shock staring at us.

"Wait…again? Y-you mean, I can... we can do this again?" He said in disbelief.

I blinked "Well yeah, you heard Kaa-san, she really does except you over for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as for those cooking lessons and training. Though we don't always have to sleep here. You should have some at your place too."

"Yeah, I'm sure there will be day were we I'll be too tired to go back home and your place is closer…that is if you don't mind our company."

He still looked shocked.

"Naruto," I said and he looked at me. "our home is your home, you are welcome to come and go as you please."

Naruto's eyes looked shiny "… your parents…"

"I think they have always secretly wanted a son as well…you are the first person our parents haven't outright rejected, and Kaa-san basically invited you to live here in her own scary way." Sakura said with a smile.

"Of course you don't have to live here, you have your own place but yeah, you are more than welcome here, consider it a home away from home."

Naruto bit his lip but nodded. "Yeah ok."

With that Sakura made a dash for the bathroom leaving me with Naruto. To which it was before breakfast meaning that my inner fangirl that I usually kept under lock and key was snatching the reins...

"Naruto…" I said after going through my daily morning stretches and he looked at me curious by the tone I was using. "Prepare yourself."

"Wha-" He was cut off when I tackled him into a hug.

"You're so adorably cute~ I've been resisting doing this since I first introduced myself...but I just can't hold back any longer!" I whisper-screamed as I nuzzled my face into his heated skin.

"R-Renge-chan you think I'm cute?!" His voice going up several octaves and I grinned.

"The cutest blonde I've ever seen-" I stopped when I felt him slump against me.

It took me a moment to realize that Naruto 'The Naruto' fainted in my arms, body going slack like a bowl of ramen noodles...I decided that it made him even that much more adorable.

"Wow…that was such a classic Hinata move." Sakura said as she came from the bathroom towel drying her hair.

"I know." I said my lip twitching in amusement before I placed him in our actual bed and began putting away the futons.

"Are you really going to leave you hair down all day?" Sakura asked seeing as I had yet to pile it it a bun or something of that fashion, instead letting it curl to its content.

I shrugged before pursing my lips in thought. My eyes brighten when an iconic hairstyle came to mind. "Well..."

"Kaawaiii~ nee-chan that's a really good look for you." Sakura said fangirling herself as she stared at her finished product.

"Hai, well it's only that's to my talented omoto who was able to bring what I wanted to life." I said with a grin before looking at my reflection my long and curly lavender hair had been brushed until the were more like a rippling waterfall before Sakura managed to recreate Usagi's hairdo. Yeah that's right, I was now rocking the ever so iconic Sailormoon twin buns and knee length ponytails and I felt awesome. Sakura the dear, even had found two matching Haruno clan hair pins to stick into my bun, making for me, further resembles.

I resisted though just barely posing and shouting out 'I am champion of justice!' Because there was no way I was doing anything on behalf of the moon, especially if Kaguya was the moon, fuck that.

"Nee-san you give me too much credit." Sakura said blushing before sitting and doing her own hair to which she left half up and half down and made a bow out of the upper half of her hair before pinning it with another set of Haruno stylized clips.

She made a ta da motion and I glomped her. "You look super cute."

She blushed squirming as I continued to praise and compliment her. "Thanks nee-chan."

Naruto agreed that we both looked super cute we he came out of the bathroom dressed in black pants that were tapped around his legs because they were too long as well as a black long sleeve shirt that had red rings around the sleeves.

"You look great too Naruto-kun." Sakura said as her eyes rolled over his outfit in approval. "You bear our clan marking so you must wear with pride."

She circled him twice before stopping. "Your clothing is styled after our own, pants like mine but a top similar to nee-san a great combo for stealth. You look intimidating but respectable, like a true nin should."

And Sakura was right. With all the black with the dash of red Naruto looked a bit more mature and he would also undoubtedly blend with the shadows more than if he was wearing that god awful orange jumpsuit. Even if he chose to act like a class clown that doesn't mean he had to dress like one too.

"I um, thanks it's different." He said with flushed cheeks as he thumbed our clan symbol.

"I bet." Sakura said and I waited knowing that she had been waiting to say this since she had met him. "Naruto please keep these clothes...You know every great ninja knows that one needs to be able to blend in with their surroundings and I know you love that orange jumpsuit but you have to realize that there is literally nothing in the village that shade of orange…nothing. If you want to be great, no, if you just even want to be good, you have to be able to blend."

When he opened his mouth to argue I spoke up.

"Now she's not saying you can't wear orange…all Saa-chan is trying to say is that it should be worn in moderation, like for example-" I walked to the closet pulling out the quipo dress that Sakura wore in canon. "Saa-chan why isn't this dress a good choice to wear on missions?"

"Well for one, the cut doesn't leave much for movement, for two, though the red would undoubtedly hide any blood I may or may not get on it the color is eye attracting and three in this case our clan symbol look more like a freaking hit me target sign." Sakura said turning her nose up. "There's no way I would make myself such an easy target."

"And so even though red is Saa-chan's favorite color she would not wear this dress for a mission. She could though wear this-" I said pulling out a darker brick red "or even this one." I said holding up a forest green dress.

"Why?" I said asking Naruto this time.

"Um." He said scratching his cheek as he sat in our vanity chair. He looked between the three dresses seemingly searching for the difference. "Well there are lots of trees in fire country, so the green dress will blend..."

I nodded. "Yes. And for this one?" I said holding out the darker red dress. "Why is this color more acceptable than the other?"

"Because its darker?"

"Exactly. Just like the green dress will blend in with the tree this darker red dress will blend more in with the shadows." I said flashing him a smile.

"More than that the cuts for the dresses are different." Sakura said pointing two the dresses I was holding up. "The green one flares at the waist and and dark red one is a lot shorter than the other bright red one, we would have a lot more room to move around in if we had to fight."

"She's right. And our clan symbols are either on the sleeve or on the back of the collar and is smaller so not to look like a target."

"Ah." Naruto said his eyes flickering between the three items taking in all the information we had given him. "I see...you know, I didn't know all of this really mattered."

"Well of course it does. Surely you didn't think what our jonin, chunin and anbu wear was by chance did you? Besides what if for whatever reason you have to henge into a woman, if you're not dressed appropriately you could ruin everything." Sakura scoffed.

There was a flicker of mischief in his eyes at Sakura words and I sighed before handing the clothes back up. "But back to the point, which is, please consider wearing more stealthy clothes and if you must wear the jumpsuit perhaps on days where stealth doesn't matter…so vacation days?"

"Though even then…perhaps wearing it only for bed would be better for all of us." Sakura said and Naruto pouted as I chuckled.

"Children, breakfast!" Kaa-san shouted from the first floor and our stomachs let out hungry growls.

"Last one down is a rotten egg!" Sakura called before lunging for the door Naruto on her heels.

I was in fact the first one down because I chose to walk instead of get in between Naruto and Sakura who were both so focused on stopping each other that they completely missed me as I used charka to walk up the wall and onto the ceiling.

"You both lost." I said when the both made it to the table, their clothes rumpled form the tousling.

"But but how?" Naruto said looking back from where I had been to where I currently was.

I merely walked over to the wall with a rice ball in hand and began walking up it and the ceiling before sitting and smirking at them.

"You you-" Naruto sputtered.

"You cheater!" Sakura snapped pointing an accusing finger at me.

"Ah ah, you never said we could use charka." I said my smirk stretching even wider

She opened her mouth before closing it with a pout. "Fine."

I stood before flipping off the ceiling and landing in as crouch. "Don't pout imōto."

"Hrmp" She huffed before sitting at the table as Naruto looked between me and the ceiling. "Oh I forget you could do that. I've got to learn how to do that too." Naruto said with determination.

"Ne, Naru-chan are you saying you saw Ren-chan use charka to walk on the ceiling before?" Tou-san said with a frown.

"No not the ceiling…" He said looking a bit unsure if he should say and I smiled before nodding, it was fine. "But I covered Renge-chan and Sakura-chan when we went to the library and they used charka to walk along the bookshelves to get books and stuff on the highest shelves when the mean ole librarian wouldn't get them for Sakura-chan."

"Ah that was when Chikara-san wasn't there right." Kaa-san said even as she piled more food onto Naruto's plate before patting his head.

"Yeah." Sakura and I chirped.

"And you didn't get caught?" Tou-san asked.

"Nope." Sakura and I said with matching grins.

"Well done flowers, keep up the good work." Tou-san said and I nodded with a grin as Sakura flushed under the praise.

"Ano," Naruto said pausing in his eating to look at us. "but how do you guys do that?"

"Well Naruto-kun I could show you after breakfast if you'd like, but it will take some time. Learning how to control one's chakra is different for each person. You will have to practice a lot to have the same control as the girls." Tou-san offered him.

"I will Botan-san, believe it." Naruto said stars practically shining in his eyes.

Tou-san smiled nodding towards the boy and Kaa-san took that time to speak. "Ren-chan I need you to go and pick up a few items for me, I have already prepared a list. Please get as much done as you can today but, for the rest at least by the end of next week if not sooner."

I frowned wondering what could be on her list but nodded. "Hai Kaa-san."

"Saa-chan we will be taking a trip to the market so that I can pick up a few things, and the ingredients for lunch and dinner."

"Hai Kaa-san." Sakura said nodding her head.

"We'll see you later Naruto-kun, Tou-san." Sakura and I both called out as he finished eating and began following Tou-san towards the backyard.

"Yeah." He said flashing us a grin before following our father practically bouncing on his feet.

I pulled on my over the knee black ninja sandals which I thought went perfectly with my black mini skirt and black ¾ sleeve sweater with the red rings around the sleeve representing the Haruno clan.

I grabbed the ingredient list before as well as some storage seals via Kaa-san before taking off.

"Now then." I mused as I looked over Kaa-sans list.

It honestly shouldn't have surprised me that she had given me a poisons list. Because while Kaa-san had her hidden stash of poisons, they were bound to run out with how often she used them on us.

And so here I was tasked with retrieving odds and ends items she used for her creations.

Most of the plants were found easily enough, till it came to find finding the wood from a particular fig tree…one that happened to be out of reach…per say considering where it was located at…which was to say in Aburame territory..

I stared at it wondering what my mother was hoping to achieve…yes perhaps I could sneak in…but if I were found out…well it certainly wouldn't look good.

I sighed before heading to the market to contemplate how it was I was going to manage to obtain this bark. I was lost in my thought that I didn't immediately notice the pair of eyes following me.

I wandered over to the fruit section pursuing my lips before picking up a basket and filling it up with ripe tomatoes.

I was so lost in my thoughts on my 'how to sneak passed a clan of charka bug sensors and not be found out and drained to death' plan that I didn't notice my watcher get close to me nor did I notice them reach for the same tomato that I did until our hands touched.

Upon touching something that was not a tomato I retracted my hand before shooting it forward.

My eyes widened when the next sound I was met was was a hiss of displeasure and under breath swearing. I turned inwardly wincing as none other than Uchiha Sasuke stood before me.

"Ah Uchiha-san you startled me."

"Is that how you react to being startled Haruno-san?" Sasuke bit out in his true canon self manner.

I shrugged blatantly ignoring his attitude. "Ninja village." I then pointed to myself. "Ninja in training. You shouldn't have snuck up on me."

His lip curled and his eyes flashed. "Snuck up on you? I didn't sneak up on you!"

"Obviously you did, how else do you think you startled me?" I countered with a smile knowing it was complete bullshit and the situation was entirely my fault but loving the way that his eyes sparkled in anger.

"You were the one with your head in the clouds!" He practically hissed.

"Physically impossible considering that stratus clouds are made of water vapor, water droplets and even ice crystals and they are around two kilometers or more from the ground, so my head can't be in them." I said shrewdly curling a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

Sasuke blinked at me taken aback by my response.

"Any ways, I forgive you for startling me Uchiha-san but I'm not really sorry for punching you, dodge next time ok, you live in a ninja village for kami's sake." I said my eyes glittering as I snatched the tomato he was reaching for rubbing it on my sweater to shine it before tossing it towards him.

All things considered, I figured I had gotten away scott free, I didn't get all of Kaa-san's ingredients but I figured she knew I wouldn't be able to get it in the first place and was probably just testing my skills.

Naruto didn't learn to charka walk up the side of the house by the time I got back home, not that I expected him to. Naruto was OP, but damnit he was OP-OP.

Naruto ending up staying with us the entire weekend, was something I was only partially surprised about.

I knew that Naruto wanted a family so when ours offered to welcome him with open arms despite however dysfunctional he would easily accept them.

The next day we cleaned up his apartment. And by "we" I meant Sakura and I.

And by "clean" I mean with the use of magic… We were witches after all, if we couldn't use a bit of magic to clean up an apartment space we weren't witches worth being burned alive on stakes…wow that's a bit dark I take that back...

"If you're not firm with your orders, they will disobey you." I warned Sakura amused as she spelled some cleaning products to begin cleaning up the apartment for us.

"Then it's a good thing you're here to clean up after me." She threw over her shoulder as she gave the broom and duster instructions for cleaning up the living room.

I shrugged. She wasn't wrong. While Sakura fully embraced her magic and was all on the bandwagon for learning more spells, she still lacked the confidence and control needed to do bigger and badder spells...that seemed to always be the job slotted for me, not that I minded. No...I didn't mind getting my hands dirty at all.

I walked through Naruto's room wiggling my fingers watching as Naruto's clothes pulled themselves from the floor and began marching towards where the needed to go, whether that place was his closet drawers or into the separated piles of clothes that needed to be washed but all in all that didn't take long...after all it's not like he had many clothes to begin with.

With a snap on my finger and a flick of my wrist, his bed was made and the dust and garbage from his room vanished into the garbage bag in my hand. I let out a deep sigh before flopping back onto his bed and looking up at his ceiling.

My thoughts didn't get to far from me when I heard Sakura let out a yelp and begin cursing the cleaning appliances in English. I rolled my eyes before getting up to go see what had happened. A witch's job was never done.

"You know...Naruto really don't have...well _anything_ nee-chan." Sakura said with a frown after we had finished cleaning his kitchen and sat on his once barely held together couch that now looked like a brand new couch. Gotta love magic.

"I know." I said evenly running my fingers through her hair as she laid stretched across my lap.

"Do you think...he's always had this little...or this bad?" She asked with a frown.

"I think at one point Naruto's living situation might have even been worse for him." I admitted.

"Why...Naruto's a good boy right? So why…" She trailed off but I remained silent.

"You know...I've see the way people look at him...like they wish him to just die on the spot and I ...it makes me so mad nee-chan…how can you just hate someone like Naruto…they don't even know him!"

"I know."

"It's not right, it's not fair! Naruto doesn't deserve it."

"It's not and he doesn't, but what would you have me do?"

"Can...can't we use magic to help him?" She asked adjusting herself in my lap to look at me.

"That depends..." I said slowly. "I ask again, what would you have me do?"

"I don't know...give him some good luck? Fix his life, protect him? He needs it nee-chan, we can't always be by his side and what if the on time were not…" She trailed off.

I let out a sigh shaking my head "Sakura…"

"Please onee-chan…" Her eyes watered and I barely resisted the urge to flinch back, damn her and her fucking adorable puppy dog eyes playing on my big sister heartstrings.

After a while of staring at her I turned away placing my chin in my hand in thought. If I was going to do something it had to be effective but not so effective that it caught the attention of the wrong sort. The last thing I needed was my sister complex to act up because fucking Danzo, Orochimaru or fucking Tobi had to take interest in the two of us because Naruto being the main character was already totally screwed in that regard there really was no saving him from that harsh spotlight…

"There may be a protection spell that I can use to help circumvent some of the negativity that seems to plague Naruto's life but it is not without consequence, with using magic like that you know the price."

"Equivalent exchange." She said.

"Exactly."

She was silent for a moment before nodding. "I don't mind gaining Naruto's negativity if that means he doesn't have too."

"That's very sweet of you Sakura-chan but unfortunately magic isn't an exact science. Equivalent exchange does not always mean yours for his. If you do this you risk putting someone else's life at risk someone who we don't know can handle Naruto's situation."

"But-"

"Naruto has us, and will undoubtedly have Tou-san and Kaa-san too. He has the Hokage and he has anbu what if the person that the fates pick as a sacrifice doesn't have anyone? We might know this person or the person might not even be apart of the village, either way we risk altering their life and we won't know until the ritual is finished on who they are I'll ask again are you sure you want to go through with this."

"I…" She bit her lip staring at me but I wouldn't be the one to sway her decision.

"I...I still chose Naruto...it's selfish...but I still chose Naruto." She mumbled softly.

I preened on the inside. It had been such a long time since I was able to dabble into something as dark as ritual magic. I tilted my head up looking down at her. "Don't mumble, speak your choice with proud conviction."

Sakura's spine stiffened and her eyes hardened as she too lifted her chin. "I'm choosing Naruto."

"Very well, I'll let you know when the preparations are ready for us to move forward, luckily for you the there is a new moon tonight and the preparations won't take long." I said before turning and heading toward Naruto's door. "You can finish up here, yeah?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, I want to write him up some recipes before I go back home, then later on we can go grocery shopping."

"Good. See ya later Sakura-chan."

I spent the rest of the day to gather what I needed, the herbs not something that one could buy in a store but also just to clear my head.

I was excited, too excited and my magic was practically a tangible source around me to prove it.

I let my body roam on autopilot my mind already playing out tonight's festivities...so much so that I once again was careless about monitoring my surroundings.

"Stop."

I flinched at the sound of a masculine voice throwing a kunai without even a second thought towards the voice.

I spun on my heel looking back into a tree slightly above me to see to my surprise one Shino Aburame.

He wore his standard clan clothes and darken glasses and if I wasn't accustomed to paying close attention to people's facial expressions I would have never noticed the intrigue as he held my kunai that was meters from his left eye.

He jumped down from his tree before slowly turning his head towards me before offering my kunai back.

I flushed even though I couldn't see his eyes, I walked closer taking my kunai back from him. "Eh...I'm sorry about that Shino-san, you startled me."

When he didn't respond I wasn't upset, I knew from watching him that Shino wasn't a talkative person none of the Aburame were...that and the poor darling was socially stunted, because no normal kid wanted to befriend the clan kid with charka eating bugs living in his body…

Luckily I was neither normal...or really a child.

"Hey Shino-san why did you stop me, did I step on one of your little friends?" I asked curiously glancing down at the ground before looking back at him.

And in response he raised his hand gesturing towards where I had been walking and I noticed a rather intricate spiders web.

Now while I was in no way afraid of spiders, that didn't mean I went out of my way to seek them…

"Ah..." I said in understanding. As a witch there were plenty of insects and animal parts used for potions, there were plenty of things each animal had to offer.

I lifted my fingers unafraid as the rather large and fuzzy spider crawled onto them. Heh, it was kinda cute. "Thank you Shino-san, I hate it when I walk into their webs, I ruin all their hard work."

I placed the creature back and instead stared at the web that I would have ploughed through and noticed that at the top there was what looked like a small silk sack. It could either be the spiders eggs or lunch either way I probably would have destroyed it too.

"Hm, I'll just have to remember to go around." I said towards myself but Shino heard me of course.

I looked over towards him surprised when he spoke to me again.

"You are not like other females. Why? Most of our peers find them..." He paused as if trying to figure out the word before speaking again "...creepy."

I chuckled and couldn't help but to respond in a mocking tone. "How childish of them to fear a spider when they all wish to be 'super cool strong ninja'. They won't live very long if the most frightful thing to them is an insect don't you think?"

Shino cocked his head curiously and just because I could I flashed him a large smile.

Many ways to cultivate Shino flashed through my mind as he stood scrutinizing me before I settled on one.

"Hey Shino-san." I said making sure that I was holding his attention and giving him another bright grin. "Thanks for stopping me, see ya in sensei's class tomorrow perhaps we can even spar together or something~"

And with that I turned walking away from the boy as well as the spider web.

I hummed to myself with a smile on my face.

While I could very bluntly asked him for Kaa-san's ingredient, where would the fun be in that?

My grin grew at the thought of having someone as powerfully underrated as Shino on my side, what the kid could do with his body let alone with his bugs...he was after all sort after by Danzo himself.

Naruto literally cried when he was meet with his clean and newly stocked apartment. He was sweaty and gross from training with Tou-san but neither Sakura and I minded.

"Y-you guys are the best, believe it!" He had cried for over an hour in my arms as Sakura cooed and stroked his hair.

"Naruto-kun how many times must we tell you, this is what friends are for ya know? Don't be afraid to come to us...because we'll find out anyway." Sakura chirped with a shrug when he finally stopped.

We stayed long enough to walk Naruto through all of his nice new things. I raised an eyebrow at some of them when Naruto vocalized my thoughts and Sakura explained that Kaa-san had added a few things that she thought Naruto would need as well…

I blinked my eyes at his closet that was no longer empty but had quite a bit of dark and earth neutral clothing not counting the pieces of red shirts here and there before looking at Sakura. "This is a few things?"

When Sakura finished gawking at all the brand new clothes she merely shrugged and decided to take out what had caught her eye. It was a yukata one that would bring out Naruto's eyes. "It is Kaa-san...and you know she doesn't do anything halfway..."

I pursed my lips before shrugging. "This is true...guess it can't be helped."

"I can't accept any of this." Naruto said as Sakura placed the yukata back in his closet

We both turned to look at him and replied simultaneously. "You can and you will."

Naruto blinked taken aback both the sound of us speaking together.

"To do anything otherwise is a great insult." I said looking him dead in his eyes. "And you don't want to insult me or my family right?"

"No never! It's just-" Naruto pouted when I continued to stare at him.

"Kaa-san is a lot to take for us too...it's ok, you will adjust to her." Sakura said evenly. "Speaking of, don't forget to come over tonight for dinner...oh and Tou-san said this is for you to read. Please read this from cover to cover, take as long as you need and if you don't understand something do not hesitate to ask us. When you finish Tou-san can proceed to more chakra training with you."

"Eh…" He said in horror as he stared a the leather bound book. "A book? But but?!"

"If you want to be even a quarter as good as our chakra control you should read that journal, it is not a book from the library but rather our a personal journal filled with notes for chakra control, it ranges from people who have little to practically no chakra and how they can gain more, to people who have large uncontrollable chakra. It is a very helpful read and hold sentimental value to our clan." I said evenly and Naruto's eyes flicked with interest.

"Hai." Naruto said in defeat as he took the journal with far more care than I expected of him. Hm...it was probably the made up tid-bit I said about it being clan property...duly noted.

"See you guys later." He said cracking open the book and throwing himself on his couch.

"Yeah." I said with a smile as Sakura followed me out.

"Did you gather all the materials needed?" Sakura asked in english as we left Naruto's apartment and made our way back home.

I flashed her a fanged grin.

"Where are we going to do this?" She asked her eyes glinting with excitement.

I paused for dramatic effect before whispering. "Training ground 44."

She blinked twice before sighing. "As if we were not risking enough, being out of bed in the middle of the night and doing magic, but of course that's not enough of a thrill for my nee-san...no let us do all of this in the forest of death as well. Sure. Why the hell not!"

I looped my arm in hers. "That's the spirit Sakura-chan!"

"If we get caught "I'm leaving you behind." She said even as we both knew that was a lie.

"If we get caught we can just kill off all the witnesses." I said flippantly.

"Nee-chan..." Sakura said with a chuckle mock disappointment in her tone.

"Ah but we won't be getting caught so don't worry. Let your onee-chan take care of everything~"

Sakura sighed but relented. "Hai, nee-chan."

Dinner went as expected, Naruto eating more than us but that was to be expected. I smiled when Naruto asked Tou-san questions about the book, I was glad that he was asking questions, remaining ignorant just because of pride was stupid.

It was late when Naruto was leaving and instead of us walking him home our father surprised us by producing a shadow clone.

I blinked looking from him to his clone because kami-sama we are just gonna move on from the fact that my parents are supposed to be civilians and not have any strong ninja skills but damnit to hell, I didn't even see him use any hand seals nor was there any smoke, it was just one minute he was their the next he was doubled.

Tou-san merely gave us a smug grin in return before motioning for Naruto to follow him. Naruto like one of Sasuke's fangirls followed without a backwards glance but he was nice enough to throw over a 'see ya tomorrow.'.

We spent the rest of the evening meditating and when Tou-san said it was lights out we went through the process of getting ready to sleep, but sleep we did not.

A quarter to midnight we made our escape.

Neither of us spoke and I cast a disillusionment spell over us as well as they things that we needed even as I shrink our chakra signature to that of an animal.

Decked out in dark green clothes we paused on top of our family roof, scanning the area for any ninja that might be patrolling the civilian sector.

Sakura looked to me and when I nodded we took off…we were in for quite a long and magical night...

* * *

 **And so as a rule the Haruno Family are not morning risers**

 **ENTER: Uchiha, Sasuke**

 **-because I couldn't resist antagonizing an Uchiha brat and neither could Renge.**

 **ENTER: Aburame, Shino**

 **-because he is underrated and completely awesome**

* * *

 **EDITED: 02.10.2019**


	7. Changes

**Thanks for the reviews!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **She has the kind of smile that says "You don't know me, and you never will."**_

 _ **\- Third Hokage**_

* * *

I groaned turning from my my position to face Sakura's back blinking my eyes several times to get the sandman's dust from my eyes but also in to make sure that i wasn't just hallucinating the quarter sized sharingan red upside down kite shaped mark on her lower back. It sat right in perfect symmetry with the dimples n her back making the shape of an triangle.

I squinted my eyes trying to think for a moment of the Naruto timeline. I remembered that Sakura eventually got a seal under Tsunade, it gave her super strength because of her perfect chakra control, but...

My eyes looked back at Sakura as she rolled over facing me as she still slumbered. My eyes went to her forehead, lifting my finger to send a soft breeze toward her face. Her side bangs that I had convinced her to get fluttered up with my breeze revealing her forehead to be violet rhombus free.

I frowned even as I felt a relieved breath leave my lips. Tsunade's seal was not something I needed Sakura gaining on a fluke, it after all was not something that anyone could just achieve and I didn't need anyone asking how a _civilian_ _academy_ student seemingly achieved it overnight without any training from the medial prodigy herself.

I sat up and stretched lost in my thoughts cracking my neck before going through the motions. I paused when I entered the bathroom, I was a mess but I ignored that turning so I could see my lower back as lifted up my shirt to see if I too had gained a freaky foreign seal. My lower back was blank.

I let out another breath of relief, that was good. Now all I had to do was worry about Sakura's strange seal.

I preened as I stared at my cleaned reflection. I had to wash all the blood out of my hair that I didn't manage to get last night but I was practically glowing, my magic humming within my veins did only nothing but to stroke my ego.

"Sakura-chan wake up." I said to her after showering before throwing my hair towel at her.

She groaned cursing me before sitting up with sleepy eyes as I sat down half dressed and began brushing out my hair.

I watched her grimaced but go through her own stretches she began to speak before she paused whatever she was going to say, staring intently at me with wide eyes.

I raised an eyebrow. "What do I still have blood in my hair?

"What is that?" She asked even as she stood to her feet and moved behind me. She was touching a spot between my shoulder blades.

"It looks like...like a diamond but disproportioned right along your thoracic curve." She mused her fingers tracing the shape and I frowned. It was the same kite shape that was on her lower spine only right side up.

"Is it red?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Its kind of golden orange...so when'd you get it?"

I let my head fall onto my vanity as I muttered. "Presumably the same time you got yours"

She sputtered turning around and removing her night shirt completely, gawking at the seal on her skin. "What is it? Do you think its from what we did last night?"

"In english please." I said in english with a heavily sigh. "And probably. I know that it is a seal, I'm not sure what the shape or the different colors mean. I can reason that it probably has something to do with the magic we used from last night."

"Last night...was...it got pretty wild..." She said in english and I nodded looking over her appearance, which was just as telling as mine was before I washed. Bloodied.

"Go get washed up, you still have blood on your neck, we can talk more after." I said and she nodded before immediately dashing into the bathroom.

"Random seals making an appearance aside. Does it always feel like that, ritual magic?" She asked after she finished getting dressed and motioned for me to sit down so she could fix up my hair now that I had finished brushing out the tangles.

I pursed my lips. "Yes and no. Ritual magic has always had the ability to feel euphoric, ah but depending on what it is you are wishing to achieve can heighten the euphoric feeling immensely."

"Does it feel good because it's dark...I'm not going to lie, I'm feeling pretty damn invincible." Sakura asked as she created my sailormoon buns through she seemed content to let the rest of my hair fall in shiny lavender curls down my back.

"Hm first remember this, the only reason why any magic is called dark is because of equivalent exchange. Anything powerful like what we did last night must always be balanced out, nature's a greedy bitch like that." I said as i admired my reflection. "That doesn't make it bad though."

When Sakura remained quiet I turned to her, my face serious. "Sakura please remember my words. Good and evil, light and dark is nothing more than a point of view, it's a subjective assessment."

When she frowned I sighed and continued. "Do you think that ninja in Iwa, Kumo, Suna or Kiri believe in the 'Konoha fire will' or whatever crap they are trying to drill into us at the academy? Do you think they, those other nations see _us_ as the ' _good'_ guys?"

"...no." She said before shaking her head.

"No, to them we probably seem arrogant, too big for our britches and looking our noses down at their lifestyles because right now we are the most powerful and well off shinobi village. Should we really be expecting them to have this fire?"

She frowned. "Well no, we can't-shouldn't expect them to have something that's solely based in Konoha."

"Exactly, yet listening to our 'superiors' they tell us that the other people in the elemental nations are our enemies and ' _bad_ ' because they do not follow our ways. Well, guess what? Those other nations tell their students the same. In their eyes, we are the monsters that take their parents, their family members and ruthlessly murder them in masses. we are the ones that hold their villages from being great."

Sakura frowned. "Then are we bad because we don't teach them?"

"No, not necessarily. Each and every person and country are entitled to their own beliefs and ideas. If a person from Suna wanted to learn that fire will shit, that's completely different because its their choice, not because we went and pushed our shit upon them."

"Do you think they should be allowed to learn, if they wanted to?"

"Yes, again because it would be their choice, but we're getting off point." I let out a sigh. "What I'm trying to say is you must know the truth. There is no good or evil only power and perspective. What we did last night, some will say we are sick, horrid monsters that need to be put down before we gain anymore power and knowledge...but what do you say?"

She frowned. "I say we did what we had to do to protect our best friends life and happiness."

"His life and happiness that had been in complete shit that nobody else in this village, his very own village gave a damn about _except_ for _us_." I nodded. "Do you see, there really is no right or wrong answer, only infinite responses. The world isn't fair, so why should we restrict ourselves to moralistic rules when it doesn't?"

Sakura hummed before she stopped fingering through my curls before starting on her own.

"Say nee-chan...speaking of the will of fire...sometimes...is it wrong that I don't feel it?"

I didn't stop strapping my kuni pouch to my thigh as I gave my curt answer. "No."

Sakura placed her hair brush down and looked at me. "I've noticed our classmates...whenever the will of fire is brought up they are-" she waved her hands around and I nodded in understanding.

"My answer is still the same. Quite frankly I don't believe in the will of fire."

Sakura blinked. "Yeah I got that based on your previous responses but...not even a little bit?"

"Fuck all that 'for the sake of my village' shit, even when Konoha falls...because let's face it, eventually all good things come to an end...this is what matters to me." I said motioning between us. "You are what matters to me. Loyalty to you and to those I view as family matter. My home matters and guess what, my family is my home. Fuck everyone else, no one has time to care about strangers much less risk their lives for one. Don't be fooled by all their shiny you-can-be-a-hero bullshit, it's all nothing more than just village propaganda."

Sakura nodded. "I...I thought I was the only one. "

"Never." I said slinging my arm around hers.

We had planned last night how we would act in front of our parents the next day...but like all things our parents bested us.

Kaa-san's nose twitched before she brought her tea to her lips taking a sip before placing it down. "I'm disappointed. Here I thought you two would know better than to track so much blood into the house and at such a late hour. It seems more training is in order."

We stiffened in our seats but that was our only tell as Tou-san took one long look at us with those dark blue eyes rimmed with gold before his lip curled into a knowing smile. "Ah but my love, perhaps we can look past our flowers carelessness this once, it was their first ritual after all."

His eyes flickered towards us a warning entering them. "Though I at least hope you two weren't conjuring up dead things last night, your a bit young for that yet, no necromancy till your at least 16."

Sakura choked on her tea and my eyes widened. They knew? They fucking knew, and I'm not talking about them knowing about us sneaking out because despite their denial our parents were ninja of some high ranking undoubtedly missing from another country. _Period_. They couldn't sell me on the 'We're just poorly civilian merchants' lie even if I was blind, deaf and dumb.

No, the fact that they knew _what_ we snuck out to do. The fact that our parents _knew_ about _magic_ …and our own father mentioning necromancy at that...

Shit. Just. Got. _Real_.

"Tell me what the jashin fuck is going on, or I swear, I will bring this entire fucking house down." I snapped standing abruptly from my chair slamming my hands on to the table in an attempt to relieve some of my frustration as well as releasing a bit of my magic in warning. I was literally at my wits end. They weren't supposed to know about magic, no one was suppose to know about magic because magic wasn't supposed to exist in this god forsaken world, just me only me, because I was the anomaly. I was the plus one the one that didn't belong...Sakura could use magic because of me, because she shared a womb with me...I needed answers, I needed to know what the fuck was going on.

Of course it was that time Naruto arrive at our home, shouting his arrival and good mornings when Sakura silently left to let him in.

Naruto arriving for breakfast worked in favor of our parents who immediately wiped to shock of my vocal and magical outburst from their faces to play the dutiful hosts, effectively skirting past answering my question.

I took note that he was sporting his new attire, dark black pants and instead of the cringe worthy bright orange he adored he now sported a deep autumn rust color. Despite me being in less than a happy mood I nodded in approval making the blonde flush as he entered into the kitchen.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at us throughout breakfast as he undoubtedly picked up the tension from our forms. I ignored his questioning gaze and doubly ignoring the hurt the flashed through his eyes when I didn't even grace him with an look. I couldn't because I knew my eyes would reveal too much, as just thinking about my parents was stoking the flames of my irritation. While Sakura, bless her heart subtly shook her head towards him when he looked to her, her lips were thinned pressed tightly against each other.

Naruto seemed to get the message, he frowned before smoothing out his features, his sunny disposition returning as if it never left.

"Oi before I forget, Botan-san, I finished reading the book from your clan." Naruto said taking out the book and handing it to my father.

"How did you find it Naruto-kun?" Tou-san asked him in return.

"It was really interesting and helpful." Sakura and I were content to let the conversation filter around us, especially if it was Naruto talking about future training.

"Sayōnara Botan-san, Tsbuski-san." Naruto said after we finished breakfast and he made plans to train his chakra with Tou-san later.

"Sayōnara, kiwotsukete Naruto-kun," Tou and Kaa-san said to the blonde before they each planted a kiss on our foreheads. "Stay vigilant and fierce, my precious flowers."

Sakura and I both tensed when we felt our parents tap another message into our wrist.

'Never let them know, your petals are covered in poison and thorns serrated.'

We neither spoke or physically returned their efforts merely waiting for them to release us before we both slid on our knee high ninja sandals.

Naruto didn't say anything about our actions until the three of us had bento boxes in hand and were halfway to the academy.

"...are you guys ok? It was pretty awkward back there with your parents."

"To be completely honest with you...no." I said honestly and Naruto looked at me and frowned. "But, given the current situation...as long as I get some semblance of an explanation or at the least get my hands on something to destroy to a million pieces...I'm sure I will be."

"...Ok...on a side note Ren-chan we need to address your anger issues sometime in the future." Naruto said and I shrugged as he looked to Sakura who still wore a pensive expression. "Sakura-chan?"

"...I'm getting real tired of running in circles...they need to give us something suitable...they can't just keep dropping surprises like that and expect us to be ok...they raised us to be to paranoid and strong...but I feel like we'll crack if they stay this route." Sakura spoke softly in English making me stop walking at look at her while Naruto looked between us with a frown.

"Um...what now?" He asked blinking at what he thought was gibberish.

"I understand, I feel the same. We will talk about it tonight with them, yeah?" I responded back in English.

Sakura nodded and returned to Japanese. "Yeah."

I reverted back with her. "Good."

I looked over at Naruto who wore his frown clearly. "Naruto thank you for your help."

His frown deepened. "My help? But I didn't do anything..."

"Yes, we are having a bit of a standoff with our parents right now, this morning when you engaged them in conversation you managed to shift their focus to you. Even if it was only temporary it still gave Sakura and I the time we needed to compose ourselves. Your a really good friend, thank you." I said with a bright smile.

He flushed scratching his cheek. "Yeah, anytime."

The three of us would arrive on time to class because Naruto was more content to walk between the two of us than go off to do one of his little pranks, though that didn't stop him from trying to convince us to join him.

"As boring as Iruka-sensei's class is, I'm not ditching it to get detention because your pranks are a bust no matter how funny they are." Sakura snipped crossing her arms as the three of us made it to the academy.

The class was empty of our classmates as well as our sensei and so we decided to walk back to the faux training grounds outside. Iruka-sensei wouldn't come until twenty minutes after so we might as well show up later as well.

"Well if you guys came to help I'm sure that it wouldn't be a bust, nor would we get caught" Naruto snipped back as he balanced himself of a balance beam. "Have a little faith Sakura-chan your talking to a pranking King."

"More like the royal pranking idiot." She retorted as she dismounted off of a higher balance beam flashing a bright grin when I applauded for her.

"Oi, take that back!"

This argument between the two had been going on for almost the whole 20 minutes straight. I decided to intervene before we entered the classroom though.

"Naruto-kun, Tou-san is teaching you chakra control...once your good at it you will be able to produce shadow clones like us, then we can send our shadow clones to wreak havoc on the village while we are in class that that way they can't say it was you because we would be in a room full of witness even though they will all know it was you. It will help us in the long run, think of the missions we could be doing in the future where we will need to be at two or more places at once? Pulling pranks with our clones will be a good starting point."

Naruto stared at me in awe before looking at Sakura who was grinning.

"So you see, King of Pranks" She said with a triumphant laugh, while tilting her head up to stare down at him in a playful manner. "You could never fare against the Tactician Queen."

Naruto was silent for a moment before a grin that had to be all Kurama stretched across his face as we approached our classroom with our classmates in it.

"True, but what would a King be with a Queen?" I heard him muse as Sakura and i walked through the door and I blinked turning to look at him be I quickly found myself in his embrace my eyes widening when he lunged wrapping his arms around me.

"Ren-chan,your a genius, I love you I don't know what I'd do without you." He said nuzzling his face into me like he had seen me do to Sakura.

I patted his head used to his spontaneous personality even as my heart fluttered at his declaration.

A strangled sound was heard behind us and we turned to see the rest of our class watching the show that was our daily tomfoolery.

The girls in the class seemed torn between disgusted because they didn't like Naruto yet in the same token envious of his declaration towards me. The males seemed content to continue watching while Sakura just rolled her eyes at us.

"What am I chopped liver?" Sakura said and I immediately tackled her.

"As if. You my darling are the best thing... after dango of course."

"Nee-san!" She scowled and Naruto and I laughed.

We made our way to our regular seats and the day commenced as it usually did when Iruka sensei showed up 10 minutes 20 minutes to lunch.

The three of us raised an eyebrow at the fact that he was way later than usual but when he looked in our direction and saw that Naruto sat between us with a grimace, I figured out why.

He was so used to Naruto pulling pranks everyday that he automatically had gone looking for him, not knowing that Naruto hadn't pulled a single prank.

Naruto gave a devious chuckle and I knew he was thinking similarly.

"I wonder how long he was looking for a prank that didn't even exist..." I mused.

"I wonder how long he will be stuck searching when I finally get the shadow clones down pact." Naruto mused before he and I shared a glance that shed light on how we planned to conspire against Iruka and started laughing deviously.

Sakura looked between us bemused. "Kami-sama, you two are evil."

It only made us laugh harder.

The day mostly went as it usually did with the only difference being that when we got a bit of time to work on our own I walked over to Shino's desk asking to partner with him for the rest of the day.

I ignored the stares and stood in front of Shino waiting patiently for him to reply to my request and when he did my smile widened.

I could feel the eyes of my classmates every time they glanced our way. Shino after all was the creepy bug kid, yet he was also a clan heir. He was quiet, mysterious but most importantly unapproachable...until now.

Shino, I knew, was not ignorant of their gawking either but seemed entirely unbothered and so I didn't feel the need to say anything either.

I continued this process for a week, asking Shino if he wanted to partner up for our classwork and even for the light sparring sessions that we had, smiling when he nodded. After the first day, Sakura began to greet Shino and ask him his thoughts about Iruka's assignments and other menial things that popped into her mind. Shino didn't answer all of her questions only responding when he felt like it but neither Sakura nor I were offended. Naruto pouted about this new change in our dynamic for the first three days straight but after a long discussion with Sakura's fist connecting to his cranium we the three of us sparred with Lee and a huge bowl of ramen for him to nurse his feelings he stopped complaining. He even started to greet Shino in his own spazzy way.

"So Shino you gonna join us for lunch or what?" Naruto asked him.

Naruto was holding my hand while Sakura leaned onto my shoulder. I let him because he found comfort in these gentle and innocent touches and he was my adorable ball of sunshine. Eyes were burning into my back but it was better because Sakura and Naruto were there to bare some of the weight.

Shino cocked his head to the side in a curious manner as he eyed the blonde warily. "Why?"

I had noted that Shino while not seemingly holding any ill will towards Naruto, tended to stay away from him. I told Sakura it probably had to do more with his kikaichū not liking Naruto's strong charka aura than Naruto himself when she too made the observation, as well as what we told Narto when his keen eyes noted Shino's selective behavior towards him as well.

Naruto squeezed my hand and smiled brighter to mask his nerves as Sakura spoke up.

Sakura tsked making Shino turn towards her. "Eating alone is ok sometimes, but to eat alone all the time can't be any fun right?"

Naruto nodded. "Sakura-chan's right, besides eating with friends would be much better don't you think?"

His eyes blinked. "Friends?"

I smiled holding my hands out to him I could hear a girl, probably Ami let out a disgusted gasp. "Of course."

The three of us wore massive grins when Shino took my hand and as the four of us sauntered from Iruka's class to eat lunch together.

Things with our parents had not been forgotten within the week or the next.

Sakura and I had gotten home the day of their reveal to be unsurprised that they weren't there to reveal how they knew about magic or what the hell we did. And with that Sakura and I cut them out.

Our responses were short, clinical and cold when they finally returned. We barely designed to speak with them even when Naruto was over, we were more than content to leave him be the sole focus of their focused attention.

If it bothered either of our parents how we were acting towards them, they certainly didn't bring it up. Our training continued per usual, except for the days that Naruto was over which seemed to be more and more these days and the cultivation of Chika-chan and Shino continued to bare fruit and life as we knew it went on.

It only partially surprised me how little of a push Shino needed to begin joining us on his own.

I made sure that he was relatively comfortable among our little group with Chika-chan popping in and making an appearance every now and then when she could get away from Ami without the little terror noticing her absence.

It worked well for Chika-chan considering that she wasn't in the advanced class with us and Ami, she was in a class just under ours, while Ami's other flunkies being the class below hers.

We were once again doing physicals after lunch.

It was a much favored activity among all the boys with the exception of Shikamaru because he was lazy and proud and Choji because he didn't like the jeering comments the other children made about whatever ranking he got. It was loathed by the girls who didn't like sweating because they thought it was gross.

"Naruto-kun." I said gaining his attention as Sakura and I finished our warm up stretches to prepare for the timed laps we would be running. "If you stick with us or even beat our time we will buy you ramen five times for the rest of the week."

His eyes widened. "Five times...anytime?"

Sakura and I shared a look. "Sure anytime Ichiraku is open, why not."

"Rain or shine?"

"Rain or shine."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "But lemme guess the catch, you guys want to place first today."

Sakura and I gave him a knowing grin because it was true.

Sakura and I took turns in placing first forcing the Uchiha into second place while the other usually ran with Naruto or we both forfeited our placing when we both ran with the blonde. It didn't matter to us anymore because we had both shown that we could place first anytime we wanted, for the most part we just chose not too. It was something that frustrated yet made Iruka proud considering we did it because of Naruto who usually placed third behind Kiba.

"You got it in one. We are aiming for a three way tie, but we are also offering ya second place as long as you keep up." Sakura said with a grin. "So how bout it, deal?"

Naruto looked between us before grinning. "Yeah."

When Iruka blew the whistle we shot off like a rocket.

"The hell?!" I heard Kiba sputter as the three off us took off like their were s rank nin nipping at our heels.

The three of us merely laughed and continued running.

Naruto, neither tied with us nor did he achieve second place. Second place was snatched by one grumpy looking Uchiha, third an equally grumpy Inuzuka. Naruto had just barely snatched fourth place from Shino, and really I didn't think it was because the Aburame heir was _really_ making an effort. From my observations he rather liked to be average across the board.

Naruto was displeased pleased that he lost to the Uchiha in particular, especially when Sasuke stood looking his nose down at him in particular. I had an inkling that Sasuke had overheard our proposition to Naruto...

I took joy in pushing past Sasuke who almost face planted to tackle hug Naruto making him flush as I gave him words of encouragement that he would do well in the next tasks and Sakura, not missing a beat also agreed.

Of course, it just so happened to also push Sasuke to do so much better than him.

Now everyone pretty much knew the rookie of the year was always a male because despite there being terrifying kunoichi out there, this was a sexist society, were men thought the only true thing to fear was another man.

Sasuke was the rookie of the year without a doubt he knew it, and the entire class knew it. Sasuke would always rank first because Sakura and I typically didn't like to bring attention to ourselves...however Sasuke this time seemed to want to not just be satisfied with being the male alpha... this time he, for whatever reason seemed to be targeting Naruto.

Every score Naruto achieved was always higher than his last despite it not being better than Sasuke or sometimes Kiba's but we always flocked to him praising his efforts.

Naruto did after all deserve as well as flourish better under positive feedback. Sasuke in return seemed to take this as some person attack or insult which I found strange.

and when his jeering finally became unbearable, I snapped.

"Sasuke." I said softly, addressing him by name and not the usual Uchiha-san because I wanted to make sure I held his attention. He stopped mid insult to Naruto to turn and look at at me. I gave him a benign smile as Shino, Sakura and Naruto waited for my next words. "Why don't you do us all a favor and shut the hell up."

Ino and Ami, his two biggest fangirls and the only ones that dared to draw close to him dispute the minor killing intent he seemed to ooze at them, gasped in horrified shock.

Both of Shikamaru's eyes snapped open, Choji and Kiba looked equally shocked by my words.

"What?" He said in disbelief.

I sighed before giving him an imperious glare and with a tch I uttered the same words that he had in another time called my candy haired sister. "Meiwaku..."

Hell seemed to break loose.

I really and truly loved stirring up the pot.

* * *

 **Meiwaku-Annoyance Renge's new nickname for Sasuke.**

 **Sakura and Renge have seals of their own.**

 **The Haruno's know about magic.**

 **Shino is slowly but surely being sucked into their little group**

 **Sorry it's taken me so long to update this, I've been more drawn of my other fics**

* * *

 **EDITED:08.24.19**


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